Roger Bedford (Getty)

Scratch one potential candidate from Alabama’s 2010 Democratic primary for governor.

State Sen. Roger Bedford , who had said he was seriously thinking about a run for the open seat, told the Political Parlor blog in his home state that he would defer. He said in the interview that he “didn’t think that was what the Lord had” in store for him.  

Had he entered the contest to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Bob Riley , Bedford would have competed with two other experienced Democratic officeholders who already have announced their candidacies: Rep. Artur Davis , who if elected would become the first black governor of the Deep South state, and Ron Sparks , the state commissioner of agriculture and industries.  

Sue Bell Cobb , chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, is still deciding on whether to enter the Democratic primary for governor.