MINNETONKA, Minn. - Republican Rep. Jim Ramstad announced Monday that he will not seek a 10th term, saying he is "burned out" after splitting his time between home and Washington for nearly two decades.

"Now it's my time to do something else," said Ramstad, whose district includes the western suburbs of Minneapolis.

His departure could create an opportunity for Democrats to build on their 2006 gains in Congress. He easily won re-election last year, but has a relatively liberal voting record on social issues such as abortion.

Ramstad, 61, said that after commuting between Minnesota to Washington since he was first elected in 1990, "I'm burned out. I'm tired.

"I still have the passion for policymaking, I still have the passion for politics. But I want to be home."

Ramstad, the senior Republican in the state's delegation, serves on the powerful Ways and Means Committee.

Ramstad, a recovering alcoholic, has focused much of his energy on addiction and alcohol issues. He said retirement would allow him "to spend more time directly helping young people suffering the ravages of chemical addiction."

Ramstad is the Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor of Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I. To help educate members on the addiction and alcoholism, they formed the Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Caucus.

For years, Ramstad has also pushed for legislation that would require equal health insurance coverage for mental and physical illnesses, when policies include both. Last year, Ramstad said one "silver lining" to the Democrats winning both houses of Congress was the increased chances of passing the bill, known as mental health parity.

Ramstad's easy re-elections have masked the growing competitiveness of his suburban district, said Joe Peschek, a political science professor at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn.

He said Democrats "would see it as an opportunity, that at least it's possible if they can field a good candidate, particularly in 2008 where there are a lot of indications that the Republicans are playing defense."

- Associated Press writer Frederic J. Frommer contributed to this report from Washington, D.C.