July 10 (Bloomberg) -- Democrat Roland Burris said he won’t run in 2010 to retain the U.S. Senate seat he has held since former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich named him to finish President Barack Obama’s term.

“I was called to choose between spending my time raising funds or spending my time raising issues for my state,” Burris said at a news conference today in Chicago. “Political races have become far too expensive.”

Burris, 71, a former Illinois state comptroller and attorney general, was appointed to the Senate on Dec. 30 by Blagojevich, a Democrat who earlier in the month was arrested on corruption charges that included allegations he tried to sell Obama’s Senate seat.

Blagojevich was removed from office by the state Legislature on Jan. 29 and indicted on 16 felony counts by a federal grand jury on April 2.

Some Democratic Senate leaders initially balked at seating Burris in the chamber, saying any selection by Blagojevich would be tainted. Burris, who in 1978 became the first black person elected to statewide office in Illinois, pressed his case and was sworn in on Jan. 15.

The decision by Burris clears the way for Democrats to avoid a primary involving an incumbent senator as they try to keep the seat in next year’s midterm elections.

More Questions

During his tenure, additional questions arose about Burris’s links to Blagojevich.

Burris had told an Illinois House of Representatives committee considering Blagojevich’s impeachment that there was no quid-pro-quo involved in his appointment and that he had no contact with the governor’s office before his appointment. Later, he said he spoke at least three times with Blagojevich’s brother Robert, who led the governor’s campaign finance committee, about raising money for Blagojevich.

Robert Blagojevich also was indicted on corruption charges on April 2.

A Justice Department wiretap, released to the Senate Ethics Committee on the order of a federal judge, recorded Burris telling Robert Blagojevich on Nov. 13 that raising money for Rod Blagojevich’s committee “has so many negative connotations that Burris is trying to buy an appointment from the governor.”

Burris, after referring to himself in third-person, added, “I’m trying to figure out how to deal with this and still be in the consideration for the appointment.”

No Charges

John Schmidt, the Sangamon County, Illinois, state’s attorney, said June 19 he wouldn’t charge Burris with perjury over his statements to the state Legislature.

On June 25, Burris acknowledged he’d failed to disclose he holds options for 8,000 shares in a real estate company on whose board he served for 13 years. He then filed an amendment to the disclosures he filed this year as a new senator.

Earlier this week, state Attorney General Lisa Madigan took herself out of the running for the Democratic Senate nomination.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said Democrats haven’t settled on a candidate to replace Burris, though he said he’s spoken about the prospect of running with Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. He called Giannoulias a “very fine young man,” adding, “I can’t pronounce his last name.”

To contact the reporters on this story: Allison Bennett in Chicago at abennett21@bloomberg.net; Brian Faler in Washington at bfaler@bloomberg.net;

Last Updated: July 10, 2009 15:23 EDT