North Carolina Rep. Heath Shuler yesterday announced he will retire at the end of the 112th Congress, likely dashing Democrats' hopes for holding on to his seat.

Shuler's decision echoes that of fellow Democratic Rep. Brad Miller last week to leave Congress after the state's GOP-led Legislature dramatically reshaped several seats during redistricting.

Shuler, a former NFL quarterback first elected in 2006, said in a statement that he came to his decision as he was considering a gubernatorial bid earlier this week, which he also opted against.

"Last week I spent a lot of time at home with my family discussing the possibility of running for governor of North Carolina," Shuler said in a statement. "This time of reflection and prayer gave us the opportunity to talk about the best course of action for us as a family moving forward. It was during this time that I reached the decision not to seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012."

The lawmaker's 11th District lost reliably Democratic Asheville when Republican state lawmakers reconfigured the state's seats to favor their own party.

Miller opted to retire, rather than face fellow Democratic Rep. David Price in a primary, while Democratic Reps. Larry Kissell and Mike McIntyre face difficult re-election bids.

Shuler added: "This was not an easy decision. However, I am confident that it is the right decision. It is a decision I have weighed heavily over the past few months. I have always said family comes first, and I never intended to be a career politician. I am ready to refocus my priorities and spend more time at home with my wife Nikol and two young children."

The 40-year-old lawmaker unsuccessfully challenged Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for her leadership position after Democrats lost their majority in the 2010 elections, saying his party had drifted too far to the left.

His western North Carolina district, now decidedly more Republican, has drawn a large crowd of candidates competing for the GOP nomination.

Among the competitors is real estate investor Mark Meadows (R), who reported raising $72,000 in the fourth quarter but has self-funded $250,000 in loans to his campaign. Meadows reported $279,000 on hand in December.

Similarly, businessman Ethan Wingfield (R) reported $201,000 on hand after infusing $125,000 of his personal funds into the campaign. He raised $79,000 in the fourth quarter.

District Attorney Jeff Hunt raised nearly $95,000 in his first quarter of fundraising, retaining $74,000 on hand in December. He reported nearly $12,000 in personal loan debt to his campaign.

Former Henderson County GOP Chairman Spence Campbell likewise loaned his campaign $50,000 and raised $11,000 in 2011. His December cash-on-hand balance was $52,000.

Tea party activist and doctor Dan Eichenbaum, who made a failed bid for the seat in 2010, reported raising $37,000 in 2011, including $23,000 in the final quarter. He had $82,000 on hand after lending his camping $70,000 from his own funds.

Democrat Cecil Bothwell, an Asheville city councilmember, has also filed to run in the 11th District. According to his latest report to the Federal Election Commission, he has raised $31,000 to date but had $4,000 on hand in December.