Virak Uy, who pulled nomination papers and had begun the task of gathering the necessary signatures to appear on the ballot, has decided against launching a campaign for the 1st Middlesex State Senate Special Election.

Uy, Middlesex Community College’s Director of the Program for Asian American Student Advancement, had previously run for an At-Large seat on the Lowell City Council in 2023 and carried some name recognition into a potential candidacy.

The revelation he was flirting with a State Senate run set tongues wagging throughout the local political scene, with people speculating how his entry would affect a Democratic primary already featuring State Representatives Rodney Elliott and Vanna Howard.

“After careful consideration, I have made the decision not to enter the race for the State Senate seat,” Uy wrote in a text to InsideLowell. “While the opportunity to serve and contribute to our community is incredibly meaningful to me, the timing of the special election has prompted me to reassess my personal decision.”

With the February 3 primary just two-and-a-half months away, it appears Reps Elliott and Howard will be engage in a one on one showdown to replace Ed Kennedy, who passed away October 1.

Sam Meas, who ran for United States Congress as a Republican in 2010 and 18th Middlesex State Representative as a Democrat in 2018, has filed paperwork with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance to run as an Unenrolled candidate.