State Sen. Nancy Schaefer, R-Turnerville, announced Friday that she was ending her bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Paul Broun, R-Athens. She announced her candidacy on March 3.

Schaefer, who has served two terms in the state senate, issued an announcement which said that her husband, Bruce, is to undergo surgery later this month and called the idea of continuing her campaign "unthinkable."

Schaefer, a conservative Republican who has been active in the anti-abortion movement, made several unsuccessful bids for public office prior to her election in 2004.

In 1993, Schaefer ran for mayor of Atlanta. She was the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor in 1994 and made an unsuccessful bid for governor in 1998.

The news release indicated she would continue in office until the end of the year when her term expires.

According to the Federal Election Commission Web site, Schaefer had not reported any contributions to her congressional campaign.

State Rep. Barry Fleming, R-Harlem and Democrat Bobby Saxon are the other announced candidates to oppose Broun, who was elected in 2007 in a special election following the death of U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood, R-Augusta.