Candidate withdraws from Florida congressional race, leaving Democrats with no one

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., May 13 (UPI) -- Democrats were left without a candidate for Florida's 13th District, after retired Col. Ed Jany ended his campaign for the swing seat after accusations emerged that he padded his resume.

Jany said he decided to bow out of the race after finding that his job, helping organize security for the World Cup in Brazil, didn't leave him enough time to campaign. The abrupt announcement came just days after the Tampa Bay Times reported that he had exaggerated his educational achievements on his resume.

"Unfortunately, the political process does not allow for me to continue my professional work, and I cannot afford to support my family while campaigning without an income," Jany said. "This has been a very tough decision that I've considered thoughtfully over the course of the last week, but it's the best choice for my family right now."

The 13th district includes part of St. Petersburg and coastal areas in the north. The district is currently represented by Rep. David Jolly, R-Fla., who won a close special election in January after the death of Bill Young, a Republican who served in the House for over than 40 years.

Democrats hoped to win the seat, given that Jolly's margin was less than 2 percentage points earlier this year. Democratic leaders discouraged a prominent black minister from entering the race.

Jany, who served as both a Marine and a police officer, seemed to have the right credentials for the race. Katie Prill, a spokeswoman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, hailed his departure. "Words cannot describe what an epic failure this congressional race has become for the DCCC and Florida Democrats," said Prill. "After a devastating loss and wasting millions in the special election, one thing remains very clear: President Obama's toxic agenda has cost the DCCC another seat that they couldn't afford to lose."