RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Democratic former Governor Mark Warner will announce next week whether he will run for the seat of retiring U.S. Senator John Warner next year.

Several longtime Warner advisers told The Associated Press today that Mark Warner was leaning toward a 2008 Senate race, but still had some interest in a 2009 bid for a second term as governor.

They say Warner would take at least the rest of the week to finalize his decision.

Over the past week, Warner huddled privately with his "kitchen cabinet" of advisers and strategists in Richmond and has been in frequent contact with others by telephone, hearing out benefits and drawbacks of both options.

Friday's retirement announcement by Republican John Warner, one of the most influential and respected voices in Congress on defense policy, also fueled GOP interest in the race. Warner completes five terms next year.

U.S. Representative Thomas Davis of Fairfax has been rumored to be mulling a run.

And former Governor Jim Gilmore says he's considering a race and will announce his plans after this year's state legislative races.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)