Businessman Mike Marti drops out of Minnesota governor's race

The Republican race for Minnesota governor is now a little less crowded.

Businessman Mike Marti announced last week that he's suspending his campaign, doing so without throwing his support immediately behind another candidate. Marti, a small-business owner, was one of a half-dozen Republican candidates running for the chance to take on DFL Gov. Tim Walz next fall.

He was one of the few candidates in the race who lives in rural Minnesota.

"I still think it is imperative for each of the remaining candidates to acknowledge that the issues that are facing Minnesota are not just in the Twin Cities and that they pay close attention to Greater Minnesota as well," Marti said in a statement.

Marti's announcement came days after veteran Republican Party activists supported former Senate Republican Majority Leader Paul Gazelka in an early governor straw poll. Gazelka got 111 votes from the nearly 300 party activists in attendance, followed by state Sen. Michelle Benson, who received 67 votes. Physician Scott Jensen came in third place with 60 votes. Marti wasn't included by name in the straw poll.

Republicans gather in May to throw their backing behind a single candidate for governor. Marti said he will endorse another candidate in the race in the "near future."