One of the candidates who had planned to run in the Republican primary for Circuit Court Judge Part I has been disqualified from that race.

Dana R. Looper of Putnam County sought the Republican nomination for the judgeship in the Thirteenth Judicial District.

Potential candidates can be challenged as “bona fide” members of a party. Each political party’s state executive committee went through the appeal process and the Republican Party disqualified Looper.

With Looper’s departure from the race, William T. “Will” Ridley will be unopposed in the May 3 GOP Primary and will face Incumbent Judge Amy Turnbull Hollars, an Independent candidate in the August General Election.

This district includes Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, and White Counties.