State Auditor Brian Sonntag will not run for governor in 2012, saying his current job is still “a good fit.”

Sonntag, a Democrat, had been publicly toying with the idea of a run for several weeks. He sent out an email late Monday night saying he’d decided against it.

“The Office of State Auditor continues to be a good fit and the place where I can best contribute and focus on my values,” Sonntag said in his statement.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee and Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna both said last month they’re running for governor.

Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire previously announced she will not run for re-election.

Sonntag’s been state auditor since 1992. His office has become more prominent since voters approved Initiative 900 in 2005, which provides millions of dollars for performance audits.

In an interview Tuesday morning, Sonntag said it was not a hard decision for him.

“It wasn’t like I needed to be talked out of it. There wasn’t any real compelling reason for me to need to jump into the race,” he said. “I’m not going to run for something just to run.”

Sonntag said that at this point he’s not endorsing anyone.

“It’s way too early for all of this. I would imagine others are going to take a look at it or possibly jump in. There’s plenty of time for that,” he said.

Read Sonntag's email on the jump.

Here's Sonntag's email:

I truly appreciate all the encouragement from a variety of people and organizations about a possible candidacy for Governor. This support has caused me to give this serious consideration. However, I will not be a candidate for Governor in 2012.

The Office of State Auditor continues to be a good fit and the place where I can best contribute and focus on my values.

*Advocating for Open and Accessible Government
*Holding Government Accountable to Citizens and
*Valuing Public Employees as a Primary Resource

In addition, I believe every candidate for state office must address today's foremost issues:

*Getting the State's financial house in order;
*Sustainability of State Funds and Programs
*Right sizing the footprint of state government and
*Engaging citizens in a real priority setting effort

I wish all candidates the best and offer whatever help this office can provide to whoever is elected.

Brian Sonntag