House Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt (R-S.C.) told his local paper Monday that rumors of his impending retirement are greatly exaggerated.

“This is about the third or fourth time when somebody’s tried to make an issue of it,” Spratt said in an interview with the Rock Hill Herald. “Folks are calling me saying, ‘What’s going on?’ I say, ‘Just hold your horses.’ We’ll be out there in due course.”

Republicans would have loved to see Spratt’s name added to the steadily growing list of Democratic retirements. But the 67-year-old Congressman should still face a serious challenge in 2010 from state Sen. Mick Mulvaney (R), who is being highly touted by national party officials.

CQPolitics currently rates this general election contest as Likely Democratic.

*For a look at all the House races, check out CQ Politics’ election map.*