Businessman Mike Parrish, a Democrat touted as a top recruit in Pennsylvania’s open 6th District, announced Tuesday he will drop out of the contest to avoid a costly primary, PolitcsPA.com first reported .  

“While I was asked by the national and local leaders of our Democratic party and encouraged by YOU to run for Congress, I have come to realize that an expensive and contentious Democratic primary fight would seriously risk our party’s ability to win this seat in November to accomplish our goals,” Parrish said in a statement to supporters. “I am therefore suspending my campaign in order to join with Manan Trivedi to help ensure that a Democrat is elected in November.”  

Parrish, who launched his campaign two months ago in the wake of Rep. Jim Gerlach’s, R-Pa., retirement announcement, had earned the endorsement of Rep. Robert A. Brady, D-Pa., and been a beneficiary of a fundraiser headlined by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.  

Trivedi, the party’s nominee for the seat in 2010 and 2012, is giving the seat another shot. He’s now the only Democrat in the field, as the filing deadline to run for the seat passed last week. He will face Chester County Commissioner Ryan Costello, the only Republican to file for the seat.  

Democrats are targeting the 6th District, which GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney carried by a slim 2-point margin in 2012. Because the party had more than one candidate in the race, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee recently listed the it as an “Emerging District” in its Red to Blue program , which pinpoints the party’s most competitive races and candidates.  

Pennsylvania’s 6th District is rated a Leans Republican contest by Rothenberg Political Report/Roll Call.