DFLer Steve Kelley drops out of Minn. gov race

Two days after a poor showing in a DFL straw poll, former state Sen. Steve Kelley has ended his campaign for governor.

Kelley, of Hopkins, came in near the back of the pack in the nonbinding straw poll on Tuesday night. Just over 4 percent of DFL precinct caucus-goers picked him as their candidate for governor.

In an e-mail to supporters, Kelley thanked them for their support over the past year, but he acknowledged his lack of success.

Kelley urged his party to unite behind the candidate who is endorsed at this April's party convention. There are 12 other DFL candidates still running, and at least three of them say they will test their luck in a summer primary regardless of what the party does.

Kelley said he intends to continue in his job as a teacher and senior fellow at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute.

Kelley served in the state Legislature from 1992 to 2006. He ran for governor in 2006, losing the DFL endorsement to Mike Hatch.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)