AUSTIN — San Antonio's Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, who'd eyed the governor's race, took herself out of the running Tuesday and delivered a slap to fellow Democrat Tom Schieffer on the eve of his announcement for the post.

“Just because one can win the Democratic nomination for governor doesn't mean one should, unless he or she is best positioned to defeat the Republican nominee in the fall,” said Van de Putte, urging fellow Democratic Sen. Kirk Watson of Austin to aim at GOP Gov. Rick Perry's job.

Watson said he'll probably make a decision at summer's end.

Van de Putte said if Watson declines, Democrats should “recruit and support someone who, like Watson, is energetic, pragmatic, focused and smart, and who can fully energize Democratic supporters while also attracting a broad range of independent voters in every region of the state.”

Van de Putte said Schieffer — a friend of Republican George W. Bush who served as ambassador to Australia and then Japan during his administration — is a “fine and decent man” but hasn't excited the Democratic base.

Schieffer, who also served three terms in the Legislature in the 1970s, said in a statement that Van de Putte “would have been a formidable opponent in the Democratic primary ... I look forward to sitting down with her to discuss my candidacy because I believe I can be the kind of candidate she can support, both in the Democratic primary and the general election.”

Van de Putte said she's not running because she doesn't want to put her family through a bruising campaign, citing Perry and his expected GOP primary foe, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.