Nancy Skinner, the 2006 Democratic nominee in Michigan's 9th District, announced yesterday that she has ended her campaign for the seat, leaving state lottery commissioner Gary Peters with no major primary opposition in his quest to upset Republican Rep. Joe Knollenberg. Democrats had faced an expensive and divisive primary campaign between the two candidates.

The DCCC failed to recognize this seat as a pick-up opportunity in 2006, and offered Skinner no financial help. Despite outspending Skinner $3.1 million to $400,000, Knollenberg won by just a 52%-46% margin. Coupling the 2006 results with the fact that President Bush failed to win more than 51% here in both 2000 and 2004 makes this seat a Democratic target in 2008.

Peters reported raising $400,000 through the end of 2007, about $1 million less than Knollenberg. Skinner's exit should allow Peters to gather more donations as the only major Democratic candidate, and will enable him to save funds for the often expensive last few months of the campaign.

Knollenberg's moderate voting record, especially on social and foreign policy issues, has kept him in the good graces of the district since first coming to office in 1992. This affluent district, based in Oakland County just north of Detroit, had been trending Democratic until the 2001 redistricting removed the heavily-Democratic city of Southfield, maintaining the district's Republican lean.

-- Kyle Trygstad