Former House Speaker Christopher Rants announced today he has filed paperwork to form a committee to explore a possible run for governor in 2010.

Rants, who has served for 17 years in the state House, made the announcement on his Twitter page, as promised to a group of Muscatine Republicans last week.

Todays to do list: 1 File exploratory committee papers 2 Tape IA Press 3 Hit the road & continue listening to Iowans kitchen table concerns

Rants joins Sioux City businessman and two-time GOP gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats as the only men who are publicly considering a run for governor next year to formally take the step of setting up an exploratory committee. State Rep. Rob Roberts of Carroll has said he plans to form an exploratory committee soon.

The move also comes just two days after Vander Plaats attacked Rants for his stance on same-sex marriage, previewing what will likely be a point of contention throughout the GOP primary.

Discussing the potential field of candidates for the GOP primary with the Associated Press, the party’s 2002 gubernatorial nominee Doug Gross said none of the current Republican contenders have a good shot of defeating incumbent Gov. Chet Culver next year, but he expects someone to eventually enter the race who does.

“I think they are all fine people and I don’t think any of them will be the nominee,” Gross said. ”I think we want to win and our nominee is going to have to have that statewide reach.”

Rants has spent the last month traveling the state meeting with activists and potential campaign donors. He is scheduled to appear on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press” today.