Ted Kaplan will not run against U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole.

The Winston-Salem Journal reports that the Forsyth County commissioner and former state Senate majority leader said being a U.S. senator would take too much time away from his five children, who are between 7 and 18.

"The problem would have been winning, not losing," he said.

Kaplan had said he was interested in the race in June. His decision leaves North Carolina Democrats with one less name to consider for a challenger.

State Rep. Grier Martin said last month that he's giving the race "a serious look." State Sen. Kay Hagan said last week that she is "thinking about" a challenge. State Board of Education Chairman Howard Lee said he's been approached.

Already, Gov. Mike Easley, Attorney General Roy Cooper and U.S. Rep. Brad Miller have rejected a run against Dole, though many Democrats argue she is vulnerable.

State Rep. Grier Martin continues to be strongly interested in running against Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole next year.

"I'm giving it a serious look," said the Raleigh Democrat. "I'm going through a deliberative process. I haven't set a timetable."

Martin was in Greensboro Saturday night working the crowd at the Democratic Party's Sanford-Hunt dinner, Rob Christensen reports.

He has also been to Washington where he has met with leaders of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and has been talking with consultants.

Martin, a 38-year old attorney and two-term legislator, is a major in the Army Reserves who served six and half months active duty in Afghanistan in 2002-03.

Other Democrats looking at the race include state Sen. Kay Hagan of Greensboro, and former state Senate Majority leader Ted Kaplan of Winston-Salem.

Sen. Elizabeth Dole will begin intense fund raising next week.

The Salisbury Republican plans at least eight fund raisers starting Monday through Labor Day at spots across North Carolina, including major events in Raleigh, Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Raleigh, Rob Christensen reports.

The Raleigh event will be held Thursday at the Angus Barn, according to her campaign.

Dole, the Salisbury Republican, has raised $2.76 million this year and had $1.76 million on hand on June 20th, the end of the last campaign finance reporting period.

So far, she has no Democratic opposition, but several Democrats are looking at the race including state Rep. Grier Martin of Raleigh, state Sen. Kay Hagan of Greensboro and former state Sen. Ted Kaplan of Winston-Salem.

Former state Sen. Ted Kaplan is seriously looking at running against Sen. Elizabeth Dole.

Kaplan, 60, a Winston-Salem Democrat, was elected to the Forsyth County board of commissioners in November, but he is best known for his years in Raleigh. He served in the state House from 1976-1982 and in the state Senate from 1982-1994. He was Senate Majority leader from 1988-1992.

Kaplan is a businessman heading a company called Kaplan Early Learning Corp, Rob Christensen reports.

Kaplan is one of a number of Democrats who are looking at the race now that U.S. Rep. Brad Miller has decided not to challenge Dole. Others include state Rep. Grier Martin of Raleigh and state Sen. Kay Hagan of Greensboro.

Now that U.S. Rep. Brad Miller has bowed out, who will run against Sen. Elizabeth Dole?

A few of the Democratic names that have been floated to Dome in recent days are not exactly A-list. They include:

Forsyth County Commissioner Ted Kaplan, a former state Senate majority leader; Greensboro Sen. Kay Hagan, who had been rumored to replace Miller if he ran; Rep. Grier Martin, now in his second term; and four-term Buncombe County commissioner David Young, who now sits on the University of North Carolina Board of Governors.

Among the A-listers who've already said they aren't interested: Gov. Mike Easley; his wife, Mary; Attorney General Roy Cooper, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, state Treasurer Richard Moore and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Hugh Shelton.