UPDATE at 10:30 a.m. with reaction from Vermont GOP Chairman Rob Roper / Also corrected Mark Snelling's political intentions. He's running for lieutenant governor.

UPDATE X 2 at 12:10 p.m. with reaction from Gov. Jim Douglas and former Lt. Gov. Doug Racine, now a state senator and Democratic contender for governor.

UPDATE X 3 at 12:25 p.m. with comments from Judy Bevans, chairwoman of the Vermont Democratic Party.

UPDATE X 4 at 3:25 p.m. with comments from Democratic challengers Secretary of State Deb Markowitz and State Sen. Susan Bartlett (D-Lamoille) and Republican State Auditor Tom Salmon

Republican Lt. Governor Brian Dubie made it official moments ago via email: He will be a candidate for governor in 2010.

Dubie, now serving his fourth term as lite guv, made the announcement just over a month after the current officeholder — Republican Gov. Jim Douglas — announced that he would not seek a fifth term.

An official kickoff will be held at a later date.

Dubie is not expected to have a GOP challenger, unlike on the Democratic side. To date, three Democrats have announced their intentions to run for governor: Secretary of State Deb Markowitz, State Sen. Doug Racine (D-Chittenden) and State Sen. Susan Bartlett (D-Lamoille). Also likely to jump in are former State Sen. Matt Dunne and current Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin.