Richard Cranwell had planned to step aside as chairman of the state Democratic Party when his four-year term expires in June.

But the former state legislator from Vinton said Wednesday that he has changed his mind and decided to seek another term, citing the importance of the upcoming election for governor.

"I made this decision because we are at a critical time in Virginia's history,' Cranwell wrote in a letter to members of the state party's governing body.

Cranwell's decision comes at a time when the Republican Party's embattled chairman, state Del. Jeff Frederick of Prince William County, is under pressure to resign. The GOP's governing body has scheduled an April 4 meeting to decide Frederick's status. Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell and GOP leaders in the state Senate have called for new leadership.

"There is a lot of belief within the party that stability is important," Cranwell said in a telephone interview about his decision.

Cranwell, a former majority leader in the House of Delegates, took over as party chairman in 2005 at the urging of then-Gov. Mark Warner.

During his tenure, Democrats have won a governor's race and two U.S. Senate seats, gained a majority in the state Senate and a majority of Virginia's congressional seats. And Democrats carried Virginia in last year's presidential election for the first time in 44 years.

The party also has professionalized its operations and improved its voter outreach efforts, progress Cranwell attributed to the work of the party's staff.

"I really think we've got a good thing going," said Cranwell, who received public statements of support Wednesday from Warner, now a U.S. senator, Gov. Tim Kaine and U.S. Sen. Jim Webb.