In a reversal, former House candidate Jill Derby (D) announced she would not run in the Sept. 13 special election for the 2nd district, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

Derby had told the newspaper just a couple of weeks earlier that she was “the best candidate” in the field, but she is now dropping her bid and endorsing state Treasurer Kate Marshall (D), who is widely seen as the party’s strongest candidate.

The special election process remains in the state court system. With no primary, the two major parties are arguing over whether candidates can run on any party line they please or whether their respective central committees have the right to nominate their own candidates.

Democrats support a free-for-all, which would benefit the party even more now that the field is clearing for Marshall. A split Republican ticket would increase Marshall’s chances in the GOP-leaning district.

Candidate filing began Wednesday, and by midday Friday, 11 Republicans and six Democrats had filed to run. Republican candidates include state Sen. Greg Brower and former state GOP Chairman Mark Amodei, who are currently the frontrunners for the nomination.