Request to withdraw denied

BOISE -- Three men running for the US Senate seat currently occupied by Larry Craig say they have been asked to drop out of the race for the good of another party.

There are five men running for the U.S. Senate seat and three candidates were called and asked to leave the race. They weren't happy with the calls - and said they won't succumb to political peer pressure.

Craig is stepping down at the end of his term, but the controversy surrounding this Senate seat is gaining new momentum with new candidates.

The frontrunners in the race are Republican Jim Risch and Democrat Larry LaRocco.

But three other candidates from outside the big two parties are feeling some political pressure.

“I was asked by Bill Sali if I would get out of this race and it didn't make any sense to me," said Pro-Life, formerly known as Marvin Richardson.

Congressman Bill Sali isn't in this race - but has a race of his own for Idaho’s First Congressional District.

But the man who calls himself Pro-Life says Sali called his home three weeks ago and asked him to drop out of the race. He wasn't alone.

"I got a call from Congressman Bill Sali," said Kent Marmon, Libertarian Party candidate. "It was on a Friday evening, Bill was on his way to a wedding rehearsal for his daughter who was getting married the next day.  He asked me if I had considered the fact that I was taking votes away from Jim Risch, helping Larry LaRocco, and if I considered bowing out of the race."

Independent candidate and former Republican Rex Rammell said he was also contacted. He wouldn't say who made the call - but said it has happened several times.

"I haven't been surprised that some have called me," Rammell said. "I have friends in the Republican Party and they are concerned that I might throw the race to LaRocco.  I assured them that was not my intention, that I was in this to win and that I felt like I had a chance to do that."

Bill Sali admits he made the calls, and said it was an attempt to keep the seat in Republican control. His spokesman says it wasn't a personal matter - instead he said it boiled down to politics.

“The people who are on the ballot are wonderful people," said Wayne Hoffman, Sali spokesman. "This isn't about them, this is about the Democrats trying to use the number of people on the ballot to their advantage, they are making an effort to win not only Bill Sali's seat, but the seat that Jim Risch is running for and it's a big concern."

But concern does not equal concession -- Rammell, Marmon, and Pro-life said they will keep their names on the ballot alongside Risch and LaRocco.

NewsChannel 7 called Jim Risch's campaign office to talk to him about the calls.  He is in Saint Paul, Minn., at the Republican National Convention.

Risch’s campaign director Matt Ellsworth sent us a statement saying Risch has a double-digit lead and is focused on his campaign.

“Our campaign has not asked anyone to challenge the eligibility of any candidates or their right to be on the ballot."

Democratic candidate Larry LaRocco says he never received a call asking him to bow out of the race. When asked to comment on the calls he said it shows disrespect to the voters.

"To have someone from the power elite trying to manipulate the election, that is what is wrong," said LaRocco.

The general election is November 4th.