Delaware state Rep. Greg Lavelle said Thursday that he has decided against seeking the Republican nomination for the at-large U.S. House seat that GOP Rep. Michael N. Castle is giving up to run for the Senate.

Lavelle said in a statement that he had discussed a possible House candidacy with family and friends and “reached the decision that it is not the time for me to run for this office.”

“Winning this seat will take a tremendous and almost full-time effort,” he said.

“I recognize, and others in the GOP who are considering a run for the office must also recognize, that organizing a genuine and effective campaign, including the challenges of raising more than $1 million, will be no small task,” he said. “This is no time for chasing windmills.”