Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce leader Maud Daudon, the former deputy mayor during the Paul Schell administration in the late 90s and early 2000s, announced today that she's not running for mayor.

The crowded feild already includes: incumbent mayor Mike McGinn, Seattle City Council members Tim Burgess and Bruce Harrell, state Sen. Ed Murray, and former Seattle City Council member Peter Steinbrueck. Daudon would have been the only high-profile woman in the race. (There has not been a woman in the Seattle mayor's office since Bertha Knight Landes was mayor from 1926-1928.)

In a statement released by the chamber this morning, Daudon said:

I want to put an end to speculation that I am considering becoming a candidate for Seattle Mayor.  I am flattered that many people have encouraged me to run, but I remain fully committed to my current role. I will continue to work on ways to strengthen our City by bringing the problem solving strength of the business community to bear as President and CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber.

Regarding the Mayor’s race, the chamber affiliate, Civic Alliance for a Sound Economy (CASE), will go through the usual process of meeting and interviewing mayoral candidates.  It will be seeking leadership that can propel this city forward, moving closer to achieving the goals of being a globally competitive center for economic vitality, maintaining and creating jobs, providing environmental stewardship and investing in our region’s people.

Daudon, who before heading up the chamber was the CEO of Seattle-Northwest Securities Corporation, certainly would have faced some political hurdles: the WTO crackdown and the Mardi Gras riots happened while she was deputy mayor. Daudon also worked on the financial plan for the doomed Monorail project.

On the flip-side, as a high profile woman and as a chamber leader, she would have had some automatic political blocs.