Photo: County GOP chair Jim Roddey and tea party organizer Patti Weaver. Larry Roberts/PG

The most high-profile candidacy thus far of a Tea Party activist in Western Pennsylvania is already over.

The Pittsburgh Tea Party's lead activist Patti Weaver filed papers today to withdraw from the Republican race for Allegheny County Controller, signaling she was having trouble with fundraising. From a statement released this afternoon:

"Winning this office takes a formidable combination of the right ideas, a strong grassroots organization, and, yes, the necessary financial resources in order to run an effective campaign. I am honored at the tremendous support my candidacy has received from Tea Party members, local Republican leaders and concerned citizens, but the financial support has been slow to follow and is severely lacking.

"Therefore, I am ending my candidacy and withdrawing my name from the race. Continuing without the ability to share my message or confront my opponents in the marketplace of ideas harms the movement and reforms that brought me to the race.

Weaver stressed in an interview that her withdrawal from the executive race did not mean her time in politics was over -- rather, she said she got into the race late and had trouble getting the countywide campaign started. Still, trouble started early for the candidate when she parted with her campaign manager (who helmed Keith Rothfus' almost-successful challenge of Jason Altmire) just weeks into the campaign.

Her withdrawl leaves two Republicans going for their party's nomination: Chuck McCullough, a former county councilman facing a May 9 trial on charges he stole an elderly client's money, and D. Raja, a Mt. Lebanon councilman and tech company president.

Former council president Rich Fitzgerald and Mark Patrick Flaherty are running on the Democratic side.

Weaver's full statement is after the jump:

"I, like many people in the county and across the nation, came forward to reign in out-of-control spending and begin restoring fiscal sanity to government at all levels under the Tea Party movement. We are keeping alive what Thomas Jefferson referred to as the 'spirit of resistance to government' that is vital to our democracy and rooted in ending our borrow-and-spend addiction.

"I know from experience that making change is hard, and it takes leaders who have the determination and strength to fight for it. Allegheny County government is in need of reform that focuses on reducing spending, streamlining services and providing better oversight to public projects. After being asked to consider running for County Executive, I talked to a lot of people to get their ideas about how to implement the reforms our region needs to advance - not simply to continue to manage decline.

"Winning this office takes a formidable combination of the right ideas, a strong grassroots organization, and, yes, the necessary financial resources in order to run an effective campaign. I am honored at the tremendous support my candidacy has received from Tea Party members, local Republican leaders and concerned citizens, but the financial support has been slow to follow and is severely lacking.

"Therefore, I am ending my candidacy and withdrawing my name from the race. Continuing without the ability to share my message or confront my opponents in the marketplace of ideas harms the movement and reforms that brought me to the race.

"I remain grateful and humbled by those who placed their confidence in me; and I will continue to find other ways to fight for the kind of change that will bring stability and prosperity to the hardworking taxpayers of Allegheny County.

"My highest priority has always been the needs and concerns of my family. I entered this race with their full support, but continuing without the ability to wage an effective campaign is not the right course for them at this time.

"Going forward, I will pledge my support for those candidates who believe in fiscal responsibility, free markets, and a constitutionally limited government; which is why I want to encourage everyone to work to support Bob Howard for County Comptroller, and Ned Pfeiffer for County Treasurer. They are exceptionally well-qualified and possess the integrity and moral fiber necessary to best serve the people of Allegheny County."