Rep. Joe Walsh’s (R-Ill.) former wife has dropped her six-figure child support lawsuit against him, relieving the freshman lawmaker of a major political albatross ahead of the November elections.

Walsh and his ex-wife, Laura Walsh, released a joint statement today announcing they had worked out their financial issues privately and declared the Congressman is not a “deadbeat dad.”

“Having resolved these issues together and cleared up these mistakes in private, we now agree that Joe is not and was not a ‘deadbeat dad’ and does not owe child support,” they wrote in a statement. “We both have been loving and devoted parents to our children, ages 24, 21, and 17, and are happy to avoid a public legal fight hurtful to our entire family and look forward to caring for our children in private.”

Last December, Laura Walsh alleged her ex-husband owed her $117,437 in child support back payments. The couple divorced in 2002, and the Congressman has since remarried.

Regardless of the lawsuit, Walsh continues to face an uphill battle for re-election in the 8th district against Iraq War veteran Tammy Duckworth (D). Democrats redrew the Congressional map in Illinois last year to make it more favorable for the party, including moving the 8th district closer to the Chicago suburbs.

Roll Call rates the race in the northwest Chicago district as Likely Democratic.