U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach's decision to run for re-election to his 6th District seat in the U.S. House has caused another 6th District Republican candidate to call it quits.

State Rep. Curt Schroder, R-155th, of East Brandywine, announced Tuesday that he will not seek the GOP nomination to run in the 6th District. He said he will instead run for re-election to the state House.

"I am ending my candidacy for the 6th Congressional District," Schroder said. "I know to many of you this will come as a bitter disappointment. It certainly is to me."

Schroder said that while his campaign was going well and although he had a large base of support, Gerlach's re-entry into the race represented a "new and potentially insurmountable obstacle."

"I believe I would have secured a majority of committee votes at the Chester County GOP convention," Schroder said. "The bigger problem, though, is how to raise the money needed to run against an incumbent congressman who will have the complete financial resources of the Washington, D.C., establishment behind him."

He said that, after talking to donors and friends, he concluded he could not raise enough money to compete against Gerlach.

Schroder is the second candidate to leave the GOP 6th District primary field following Gerlach's surprise announcement that he would re-enter the congressional race.

Harold Cohen, of Lower Merion, announced Friday that he was calling his 6th District candidacy quits. He threw his support behind Gerlach.

The three other Republican 6th District candidates — geologist Walt Hufford, businessman Steve Welch and electrician Pat Sellers — have said that they will stay in the race.

Gerlach has represented the 6th District since 2003. He announced in July 2009 that he would run for governor of Pennsylvania and would not seek re-election to his 6th District seat.

This caused a flurry of Republican candidates to declare their interest in his seat. Schroder was the first of them.

Gerlach announced Thursday that he would quit the gubernatorial race. He said he concluded he would not be able to raise enough money to primary against state Attorney General Tom Corbett, the Republican frontrunner.

Schroder and other Republican candidates said that Gerlach's Thursday and Friday announcements came as a complete shock. Schroder said that, while mulling over whether to stay in the race, he found himself unable to sleep.

His Tuesday announcement was the first time since Friday that he has communicated with the press.

Schroder said that he is leaving the race, even though many have urged him to stay.

"Every one of my grass-roots supporters have strongly urged me to continue," Schroder said. "The vast majority of Republican committee people in Chester County pledged their continued support for me."

Three Democrats have so far declared interest in the 6th District seat. They are Lower Merion newspaperman Doug Pike, Reading physician Manan Trivedi and Lower Merion commissioner Brian Gordon.

The 6th District contains portions of Chester, Montgomery and Berks counties, as well as a sliver of Lehigh County.

To contact staff writer Dan Kristie, send an e-mail to dkristie@dailylocal.com.