Ginny Schrader, darling of the liberal blogosphere for her 2004 run against Mike Fitzpatrick,
has dropped out of the 2006 race against the now-freshman legislator.
She has released a statement on her site:
Running for a Congressional seat requires the total commitment of a candidate. After the last election, a grueling and brutal fight, I began to look for new roads to travel; roads that led away from corporate America and the rigors of running for office. In the past few weeks it has become clear that these new roads hold more of an allure to me that another year spent on the campaign trail. I believe the best thing for me and my family is to pursue those things where I can make an immediate impact and do the most good. Therefore, I have made the decision to withdraw my candidacy for Congress.
I still believe that the local races are of tremendous importance to us and hope everyone focuses on the upcoming election before moving on to the 2006 elections. However, the people of the 8th Congressional District deserve a candidate totally committed to do everything necessary to win this election and begin to take our government back from those who have brought it to the sorry state in which it finds itself. Hopefully, such a candidate will emerge from the primary process and go on to victory.
I thank all who supported me, who believed in me and who worked with me in the last campaign and in this one. I will continue working for those things I believe in and will continue to be involved in the political process as we work together to take America back from those who have stolen its greatness.
With Robin Wiessman
also opting not to run, there are now three candidates for the seat in a district which Kerry carried by 9000 votes: Iraq war veteran and lawyer
Patrick Murphy, former Bucks Co Commissioner (and until June, a Republican)
Andrew Warren (no site yet), and Coast Guard veteran
Paul Lang.