B.J. Lawson, the physician/businessman who challenged Democratic U.S. Rep. David Price last year, has decided not to try again next year.

In a letter to supporters, Lawson thanked his backers, but said it was tough running in the Democartic-leaning 4th District, reports Rob Christensen.

“I’m a big fan of return on investment, however and while I was curious and passionate enough to run once, 37 percent is a long way from winning,” Lawson wrote. “Ultimately, I can’t justify spending my time and your money in North Carolina’s 4th District at this time.”

Lawson asked his backers to suppport “principled Republicans” across the the country and in North Carolina “so our next redistricting can empower voters to choose their politicians, instead of vice versa.”

DURHAM — Republicans are lining up to challenge Democratic Congressman David Price next year.

B.J. Lawson, a Cary businessman and former physician, who lost to Price in November said he plans to launch another bid, Rob Christensen reports.

Lawson, who said he will formally announce his candidacy on his website next week, said that his 37 percent showing was strong considering the Democratic-leaning district. He said one of the problems in defeating Price, is that the Republicans put up a different opponent every two years.

But Lawson will likely have competition in a GOP primary.

Frank Roche, 46, a semi-retired financial industry executive from Apex, said he plans to run as well.

He said he hoped to win over support of more traditional conservatives, who may not be comfortable with some of Lawson’s more Libertarian leanings.

Both attended a luncheon of the Durham County Republican Women on Tuesday at the Hope Valley Country Club.

An ad from Republican B.J. Lawson criticizes U.S. Rep. David Price over his support of a Wall Street bailout.

A Republican challenger to U.S. Rep. David Price is running T.V. ads thanks to help from Ron Paul.

Cary resident B.J. Lawson has raised more than $460,000 from more than 3,000 individuals in North Carolina and around the country, according to a campaign spokeswoman.

He raised more than $177,000 in a single day of fundraising, thanks in part to an e-mail sent to supporters of Paul, a Texas Congressman and former Republican presidential candidate.

The fundraising success has allowed Lawson to air a television ad, something typically not seen in races against Price, who has represented the heavily liberal district since 1987, losing only one race.

The Lawson campaign is airing the ad, which criticizes Price for supporting the recent Wall Street bailout, on several stations on Time-Warner Cable, including MSNBC, News 14 Carolina and B.E.T., according to campaign media consultant Gail Marold.

"The economy is still crashing," a narrator says. "This election, fire David Price. Vote Lawson for Congress."

If things had turned out differently, Augustus Cho might be on the ballot under a different name.

The Chapel Hill Republican, who hopes to face off against U.S. Rep. David Price in the fall, was born Sung-uk Cho in Seoul, Korea.

He was renamed Sung-uk Park when his mother remarried. But Cho told Dome he was never close to his stepfather and did not like his new last name.

(As a side note, Korean women typically don't take their husband's last names, but it is prevalent among Korean-Americans.) 

In 1991, Cho's mother passed away and his son was born. He said both events caused him to reflect on his last name, and he eventually had it legally changed back to Cho.

Then, in 1999, he adopted the nickname Augustus, after his interest in Roman history and his birth month, because some people had difficulty pronouncing his name.

"Trying to tell people my name was Sung-uk was very difficult," he said.

He's not the only candidate in the race with a nickname, though. His Republican opponent, B.J. Lawson, is actually named William Thomas Lawson Jr. 

Another Republican wants to face off against U.S. Rep. David Price.

William "B.J." Lawson, a 33-year-old Cary resident and software company co-founder, says he wants to run for the Republican nomination in the Fourth Congressional District, Sam Spies reports.

The "critical question" says Lawson, is, "can the federal government help us? The answer is no, the federal government can't help us any more. Because it's bankrupt."

Lawson came to North Carolina about 15 years ago to study engineering and later medicine at Duke. He left medical school to start medical software firm MercuryMD, which was acquired by The Thomson Corp. last year.

Lawson's Web site says he's raised more than $53,000.

Orange County GOP Chairman Augustus Cho has also announced for the seat.