OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson has chosen his signature "Big Chicken" lawsuit over a shot at the political big time.

Edmondson had been rumored as a Democratic candidate to challenge Oklahoma Republican Jim Inhofe for his U.S. Senate seat in next year's general election. So had Governor Brad Henry, who ruled himself out earlier.

Edmondson announced Tuesday that he would not run in 2008, citing the workload of his long-running pollution lawsuit against the nation's largest chicken producers. Oklahoma sued 14 Arkansas-based companies in 2005, citing pollution of the state's waterways by waste from large chicken farms.

With both heavyweights now out of the picture, freshman state Sen. Andrew Rice has joined the race to oppose Inhofe's 2008 bid. Rice announced his intention yesterday at news conferences in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, the AP reported.

However, Edmondson did not rule out a later tilt at higher political office, including state governor or U.S. senator, AP noted. He also intends to file for re-election fundraising in 2010.

Edmondson has racked up a string of victories in his lawsuit against the chicken producers, which includes industry giants Tyson and Cargill. Most recently, he kept his contingency-fee agreement with law firms that represent Oklahoma in the suit, LNL reported in June.

The 34-year-old Rice said yesterday he opposes the current "play-it-safe politics" of Washington and believes he can achieve results in his first term. His speeches also referred to his brother's death in the World Trade Center attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.