State Rep. Paul Kohls became an early casualty of the crowded race for Minnesota governor, dropping out Thursday because of a lack of support from GOP constituencies.

“I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t have sufficient support from the delegates to keep going,” Kohls told reporters.

Kohls, who has been in the state House since 2002, was not among the top finishers in the state Republican party’s straw poll earlier this month. The poll was won by House Minority Leader Marty Seifert, one of the first and most prominent Republicans to join the race after incumbent Tim Pawlenty, a Republcan, announced he would not seek a third term.