A long-time Democratic legislator ended his re-election bid to focus on his battle against cancer.

Rep. Carl Duckworth, D-Magna, pulled his name off the candidate list on Monday. He is in the middle of his fifth term in the Utah Legislature.

"His doctor suggested that he not do anything to impair his healing," his wife, Sue Duckworth, said. "An election would be too much stress for him."

Despite his struggles with a rare form of bone cancer, Carl Duckworth slogged through the recent legislative session, casting votes and debating in committee meetings.

The Duckworths prepared for this moment. In fact, they both filed to run for the District 22 seat so in the case Carl couldn't physically run, Sue would, making sure there is a Duckworth on the ballot.

Three other Democrats want the District 22 Democratic nomination: William Brandt Goble, Michael Miller and Greg Schulz. The winner will then face Republican Deena Ely, who lost the 2006 race against Carl Duckworth by just 33 votes, after a tight recount.

"We have to keep a Democrat in this seat," Sue Duckworth said.

A Kaysville Republican also recently dropped out the the District 15 race. Now incumbent Rep. Doug Aagard, R-Kaysville, will have no intra-party battle in his quest for re-election. Aagard will square off against Democrat Ryan Mellor on the November ballot.

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E-mail: ldethman@desnews.com