EARLY LINE 2016

Updated: April 4, 2016

By Celia Cohen
Grapevine Political Writer

There is one less candidate in the Democrats' crowded field for the congressional seat.

Bryon Short notified his supporters by e-mail on Monday afternoon he is dropping out because of money woes. Federal candidates are due to file their campaign finance reports for the quarter, which ended March 31.

"After much thought, I have decided to end my campaign for U.S. Congress," wrote Short, a Democratic state representative since a special election in 2007.

"Campaigns take an unbelievable amount of money to win. Although we have consecutively raised more money each quarter than the previous, I do not believe my campaign is on track to raise the necessary resources to get our message out in such a crowded field of candidates."

When Short declared his candidacy, he was expected to pick up support from the political network of Tom Carper, the Democratic senator for whom he had worked during the time Carper was a congressman and governor.

That was not to be, not after the race was joined by two others from Carper's network -- Sean Barney, who was an aide in the Senate, and Lisa Blunt Rochester, who was a Cabinet secretary.

Carper himself said he would not choose among them.

Office Democrats Republicans Rundown
Governor

John Carney

Colin Bonini

Lacey Lafferty

It is too early to call Carney the governor, maybe just "His Inevitableness"
U.S. House

Sean Barney

Mike Miller

Lisa Blunt Rochester

Bryan Townsend

Rose Izzo

Hans Reigle

So many candidates, so many ways to splinter the vote. Perish the thought, but the congressional race in this Democratic state could be decided by whoever can get something like a third of the vote in the Democratic primary
Lieutenant governor

Brad Eaby

Greg Fuller

Bethany Hall-Long

Kathy McGuiness

Ciro Poppiti III

Sherry Dorsey Walker

  Matt Denn couldn't wait to get out as lieutenant governor, and now a whole bunch of people want to get in. This isn't an office, it's a bus terminal
Insurance commissioner

Karen Weldin Stewart

Paul Gallagher

Trini Navarro

Jeff Cragg

George Parish

Stewart had a primary when she won the office in 2008. She had one in 2012. Why should 2016 be any different?

Incumbents in bold

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