Harrisburg — City Controller and former Democratic Candidate for Mayor Dan Miller announced today that he will not accept the Republican nomination for mayor.

Businessman Eric Papenfuse now has a clear path to election in the fall.

“With apologies to all those voters who supported me, especially those who wrote my name on their ballot, I have decided not to accept the Republican nomination,” said Miller at an afternoon press conference outside his home.

Miller made no secret of why it is he would not continue on in the general election. ”We don’t have the money. We would get outspent bigtime in the fall.” He claimed that before his opponent’s and outside expenditures in the primary he was on a “clear path” to victory.

Miller also however did not admonish himself from being unavailable at times for the race saying,” I could not devote the time to the campaign.”

There was some speculation over whether Miller would remain in the Harrisburg Mayoral race after he lost the Democratic nomination to Papenfuse by 6%. Both beat incumbent Mayor Linda Thompson.

A longtime Thompson critic, Miller was the frontrunner until the final weeks of the race when Papenfuse, aided by significant outside spending by local developers, pulled ahead.

Miller received enough write-in votes to secure a spot on the Republican ballot. Withdrawing his name this clears the way for the GOP in Harrisburg to put its own candidate in his place.

Without Miller or a potential Republican challenger, the race is a three-way matchup pitting Papenfuse against former Republican nominee and current Independent Nevin Mindlin, and late coming Independent Nathaniel Curtis.

Curtis’s campaign though could be in jeopardy right out of the gate though given that he does not meet the city’s residency requirement.