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RICHMOND -- One week after the presidential election, Gov. Tim Kaine disavowed interest in becoming chairman of the Democratic National Committee and said he viewed the post as "taking my eye too much off the ball about things that need to happen here."

Kaine said Monday that he changed his mind after president-elect Barack Obama assured him that he could serve as party chairman on a part-time basis until he leaves the governor's office next year. And Kaine insisted that he can manage the state through a severe budget crisis while serving as a high-profile partisan voice and party fundraiser.

"I know what my first priority has to be and I made that plain to the president-elect, and not only does he get it, he wants me to do that," Kaine told reporters Monday after confirming that he accepted Obama's offer to succeed Howard Dean as DNC chairman. Kaine also said he would accept no pay from the DNC while serving as governor.

Kaine served as a national co-chairman of Obama's presidential campaign and was considered as a possible vice-presidential candidate. The party chairmanship could be seen as a reward after Obama became the first Democrat in 44 years to win Virginia's electoral votes.

But Kaine initially rebuffed overtures about the DNC post and said in November that, "I don't view that, frankly, as consistent with being governor."

However, Obama extended the offer again in December, and Kaine said he finally accepted it "with an awful lot of thought and conversation with family and others, and careful analysis about how I can continue to be completely focused on the challenging task here."

Virginia faces a revenue shortfall of at least $2.9 billion, prompting Kaine to propose deep spending cuts and layoffs to help balance the budget that expires June 30, 2010. The governor also has proposed doubling the state's cigarette tax to generate revenue.

Kaine said he will have a limited role with the DNC during the upcoming General Assembly session and said his political activity will not keep him from negotiating a budget deal with a politically divided legislature.

"I expect that everyone will be watching my every action to make sure that I do that," Kaine said.

But some GOP leaders questioned whether national politics will distract Kaine from his state duties.

"I believe we're in a terrible situation, and I think we need to work together to get it resolved," said House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith, R-Salem.

Griffith did not criticize Kaine for taking the DNC post but said: "I will start complaining if the governor is going to be AWOL."

Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, a Republican, said Kaine "must make certain that his decision to accept such a partisan political position does not compromise his ability to work with Republicans in the General Assembly to find bipartisan solutions to the challenges facing our state."

State Democratic Party Chairman Richard Cranwell of Vinton said that Kaine won't neglect his state duties.

"When I spoke to Governor Kaine this week, he told me that his number one priority will be balancing Virginia's budget during this legislative session," Cranwell said in a statement released by the party.

All three Democratic candidates for governor -- Sen. Creigh Deeds of Bath County, former Del. Brian Moran of Alexandria, and former DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe of McLean -- applauded Obama's decision to pick Kaine, and for good reason. As party chairman, Kaine will be well-positioned to steer DNC funds to the eventual nominee for the fall campaign.