Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels says he will not seek the Republican presidential nomination.

In a middle-of-the-night message on Sunday, Daniels said he was taking the advice of his family and would skip a White House bid.

Daniels told his friends and supporters he ultimately decided he wasn't willing to sacrifice his family's privacy. He is thanking his friends for their support and is joking he wants to hear how they think "an obscure Midwestern governor might make a constructive contribution to the rebuilding of our economy and our republic."

Sources close to the Indiana governor confirmed the e-mail's authenticity.

Meantime, Indiana Democratic Party Chair Dan Parker has issued a statement in response to Gov. Mitch Daniels’ announcement:

“We’ve disagreed with Mitch Daniels myriad times, but there’s no doubt that his decision not to enter this race is a loss for Republicans. Daniels would have brought a serious tone to a GOP field that’s thus far been characterized by silliness and distraction.”