One of two Republicans running against Janice Hahn drops out.

He says he won’t seek Knabe’s supervisor seat to avoid splitting the Republican vote.

One of two Republicans running against Rep. Janice Hahn ( D- San Pedro) for a seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors said Friday that he was dropping out, leaving the veteran lawmaker to face one GOP candidate and one other Democrat in the June 7 primary.

Former Redondo Beach Mayor Mike Gin did not f ile the paperwork required by Friday’s deadline to seek the seat now held by Supervisor Don Knabe, who is being pushed out by term limits. Gin said he wanted to avoid splitting the vote in a year when Republican turnout will probably be high because of the contentious presidential contest.

“I think it’s important to have a unified effort,” he said, adding that he had not decided whether to endorse Republican Steve Napolitano, a senior deputy to Knabe.

While campaigning, Gin said, “it became very clear to me that Asian Americans are very much underrepresented in so much of L. A. County.” So instead of running for office, he said, he had decided to turn to political engagement efforts. That leaves Hahn — who has the largest war chest and is considered by political observers to be the likely favorite — to face Napolitano and Whittier Union High School District board member Ralph Pacheco.

Eight people have filed to run for the seat held by Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, who is also being forced out by term limits at the end of the year. They are: Antonovich’s chief of staff, Kathryn Barger; prosecutor Elan Carr; Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch Englander; state Sen. Bob Huff; Palmdale- area real estate investor Raj Pal Kahlon; Altadena Town Councilman Billy Malone; Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian; and entrepreneur Darrell Park.

Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey, are running for reelection unopposed.