Key to the job of being a party whip is the ability to deliver votes on legislation.

Turns out U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette isn’t very good at it, and completely failed to deliver enough votes for her own self to get elected to the job.

She dropped out of the race today, her leadership campaign was 11 days old.

DeGette said in her statement she was “heartened by the backing I have received across the caucus.”

“Over the last few days, however, many of my supporters have expressed concern about pressure they are receiving to return the three senior leaders to their posts without opposition.”

Sooo, they didn’t really back her, they just said nice things and claimed they would love to take her to the big dance, but they have to wash their hair that night.

DeGette’s quest for party power was doomed from the start, when she announced her leadership campaign to bring more youth and diversity to the job held by a black man who has served only a few years more than she has in Congress.

Then there were claims by the incumbent whip that racist statements were being made in the campaign against him, suggesting he didn’t actually work and was a token leader.

He didn’t mention DeGette by name, but, uhm, she was the only person running against him.

DeGette will apparently continue to serve as a deputy whip. She might not be able to deliver votes, but she certainly knew in this instance how to count them.