BOISE, Idaho —David Roth, the Democratic nominee for US Senate in Idaho, ended his campaign Tuesday evening, leaving independent Todd Achilles as the only well-funded challenger to Republican Sen. Jim Risch.
Roth's statement did not mention Achilles. It did not mention Risch either. Instead, the Idaho Falls consultant said he had "concluded that I can make the greatest difference by focusing my time and energy on helping Democrats win up and down the ballot."
Whether he will endorse anyone in the Senate race remains unanswered. Before the Democratic primary, Roth said there was pressure for the Democrats to stand down in the race, but he pushed for them to field a candidate.
"I met with Todd, and we talked about it, and we're just too far away on issues that I think are absolutely critical," he told the Idaho Capital Sun on July 8, citing single-payer health care and housing investment as points of divergence from what he characterized as Achilles' more moderate positioning.
The pressure for Roth to drop out of the race had been building since the May primary. Former Democratic Rep. Larry LaRocco argued publicly that Roth should follow the example of Nebraska's Cindy Burbank, who withdrew in favor of Dan Osborn, and consolidate the anti-Risch vote behind a single candidate.
On July 8, Ada County Democrats sent Roth a letter setting a deadline: raise $50,000 and produce a campaign plan by Aug. 12, or the county party's executive committee would consider endorsing Achilles instead.
Roth's campaign has raised roughly $8,600 this cycle, according to FEC data. Achilles has raised more than $692,000. Risch's war chest sits above $3.3 million.