After a four month campaign that raised less than $25,000, state Rep. Donald Valdez has dropped out of the race against the 3rd Congressional District’s U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton.

Valdez told the Denver Post he wanted to spend more time with his family STRIKE doing the work voters in House District 62 elected him to do.

Valdez’s decision comes on the heels of a brazen new entry to the race by a Denver businessman, who only moved to the Western Slope five minutes ago in order to run for Congress.

James Iacino declared his candidacy in October, and claims he raised $156,455 his first two weeks campaigning.

Iacino has filed his candidacy statement with the FEC, but has yet to report any fundraising activity.

Meanwhile, Tipton has raised nearly $553,000, with $413,00 cash on hand.

Diane Mitsch Bush is also running, and raised nearly $295,000 to date, with $184,000 cash on hand.

The media continues to predict that national Democrats will get around to targeting Tipton’s seat for a Democrat win, but it still hasn’t happened.