Jack Perry exited the race for the Democratic nomination for Congress in the 1st District on Monday, leaving Congressman John B. Larson with three challengers: Ruth Fortune, Luke Bronin and Jillian Gilchrest. Perry, 35, is a businessman and former councilman from Southington who declared his can didacy in July, becoming the second Democrat in the contest after Fortune, a Hartford Board of Education member. He was quickly followed by Bronin, the former mayor of Hartford, and Gilchrest, a state representative from West Hartford. “It gets too crowded a field. The last thing I want to do is muddy the waters,” Perry said. “We are changing as a party.” As Sept. 30, the close of the last reporting period, Perry had spent nearly $61,000, while raising $28,810. He loaned his campaign $500,000. The father of a 5-year-old son and 5-month-old daughter, Perry said he reflected over Thanksgiving about ending his campaign. “Your kids are only little for so long,” he said. Larson, 77, of East Hartford, won the open seat in 1998, succeeding Democrat Barbara B. Kennelly of Hartford, who ran for governor that year. It was the last time Larson had competition for the nomination. “If you look at the race, Larson is a good Democrat. It’s just time. Everyone says that,” he said. Larson, of course, begs to differ. He is raising money seeking support from the likely delegates to the Democratic nominating convention next spring. As of Sept. 30, he had $879,000 in his campaign account, second to Bronin’s $1.1 million. Gilchrest had $44,869; Fortune, $35,709. ...read more read less