Was running to unseat popular "Tea Party" Republican Rep. Lynn Jenkins

From Eric Dondero:

Democrat State Senator Laura Kelly has just announced that she will end her Congressional race for the seat of Republican incumbent Rep. Lynn Jenkins (photo).

Reports the Topeka Capitol-Journal (via Memeo):

Kelly was a lock to win the Democratic nomination in the 2nd District, which includes Topeka, Manhattan, Lawrence and communities from the Oklahoma to Nebraska borders.

(Topeka, and Lawrence the only two liberal areas in the State.)

Continuing:

She said demands of conducting the U.S. House campaign and responsibilities of being a member of the Senate were incompatible. The obligation to serve her constituents proved stronger than the desire to defeat Jenkins, she said.

"I can't do this race and do the Senate," Kelly said.

Translation: She read some internal polls, and looked at the coming political climate - Tea Party movement, and generic Republican vs. Democrat numbers which now show the GOP ahead by 8, and concluded she couldn't win.

Rep. Jenkins, is closely identified with the Tea Party movement, nationally and in Kansas.