State senator Delph decides not to join U.S. Senate race

Indiana Sen. Mike Delph, R-Carmel, says he won't enter the campaign to succeed U.S. Sen. Dan Coats in the 2016 elections.

Delph said in a statement Tuesday that the burden of the campaign and the possibility of living in Washington, D.C., would be too much for his wife and five daughters.

The conservative legislator from Carmel would have been a dark horse candidate, but he could have drained support from tea party favorite U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman against former state Republican chairman Eric Holcomb and U.S. Rep. Todd Young.

Delph had talked frequently in recent months about possibly joining the race to replace Coats, who announced in March that he wouldn't seek another term.

Former U.S. Rep. Baron Hill and retired social services advocate John Dickerson are seeking the Democratic nomination.