First-term Republican Shelby County Commissioner Mike Vest has decided not to run for Alabama’s sixth congressional district seat, after indicating in mid-November that he was strongly considering it.

Vest told Yellowhammer Tuesday afternoon that after further prayer and discussions with his family he decided that a run for congress is not in the cards for him at this time.

“It’s the kind of thing where you spend a lot of time in prayer and realize that God’s not sending you in that direction right now,” Vest said. “I’m having a great time representing the people of Shelby County on the Commission and I’m excited about continuing the work we’re doing here.”

Vest said there’s one candidate in particular that he’s interested in throwing his support behind, but declined to say who at this point.

“There’s a really strong field of Republicans in the race and I’ll be behind whoever wins 100 percent,” he said. “It’s impossible to say what God will have me do in the future, but right now the Commission is where He wants me. I look forward to working closely with our next Congressman.”

Businessman Will Brooke, Rep. Paul DeMarco, Dr. Chad Mathis and conservative think-tank founder Gary Palmer are the Republicans currently vying for the seat after Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Vestavia Hills, announced in late September that he will not seek re-election in 2014. No Democrats have announced their candidacy at this point.

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