John Hatter (photo courtesy of HatterForCongress.com)

The eight-way primary for Mike Pence's seat in Congress has shrunk to seven.

Ivy Tech-Columbus administrator John Hatter has ended his campaign. A release from the campaign of former Shelbyville State Representative Luke Messer says Hatter has endorsed him.

Messer is making his third bid for Congress after narrowly failing to unseat Congressman Dan Burton in last year's primary. He faces two other former congressional candidates in Travis Hankins and Bill Frazier, and former U-S Senate candidate Don Bates.

Pence is vacating the seat to run for governor.