Rep. Julia Carson (D-IN) has died, less than a month after announcing that she had been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, and would not be running again. The diagnosis was made over this past Summer.

Carson was 69, serving her sixth term, and was both the first African-American and the first woman to represent Indianapolis in Congress.

Rep. Julia Carson (D-IN) will not seek re-election in 2008, according to her chief of staff. The news comes two days after Carson disclosed that she has terminal lung cancer.

This isn't necessarily good news for the GOP, who had been eager to challenge the ailing incumbent next year. Carson's Indianapolis-based district is reliably Democratic in presidential cycles and would be a tough target for a Republican to capture.

Rep. Julia Carson (D-IN) announced over the weekend that she has terminal lung cancer. The cancer was discovered over the Summer.

Carson was first elected to Congress in 1996. She had been suffering numerous health problems recently, causing her to take a leave of absence from Congress in September in order to treat a leg infection.

Here's a seat that House Democrats might have to worry about: Indiana state Rep. Jon Elrod (R), considered a rising star in local GOP circles, will announce his plans to challenge Rep. Julia Carson (D-IN) next year.

Carson, who has suffered from a series of health complications in recent years and is currently on medical leave, has been openly contemplating retirement. Despite her district's Democratic tilt — John Kerry took 58% of its vote in 2004 — Carson won by a lackluster 54%-46% margin in 2004 against an underfunded opponent, giving the GOP some hope for an upset here.