Nevada Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki (R) will not enter the special election in the 2nd district to succeed Rep. Dean Heller (R), Krolicki announced Thursday.

“It has been said that politics is about timing and that opportunities are usually few and far between,” he said in a statement. “I believe both of those statements are true, and while I appreciate the countless number of people from all over Nevada and across the country who have encouraged me to run, now is not the time.”

Krolicki said his responsibilities to his wife and three daughters, as well as to his current office and his work as chairman of the Nevada Commission on Economic Development, influenced his decision.

“The demands to immediately raise federal campaign funds and to organize a campaign team would be, in my opinion, unconscionable distractions during the final weeks of the Legislature or during any subsequent Special Legislative Session should it be necessary in the months ahead,” he said. Krolicki serves as president of the state Senate in his role as lieutenant governor.

He also threw his support behind the Nevada Republican Party’s effort to block candidates who were not nominated by their party from appearing on the ballot in the special election.

“I firmly believe that political parties have a role in elections and I fully support the Nevada Republican Party’s lawsuit to protect their ability to nominate the candidate of their choice,” he said. “Voters rely on parties to vet candidates and put their best choice forward. Robbing voters of that knowledge, and the political parties of that process, seems shortsighted.”