The Tennessee Republican Party’s executive committee has voted to remove seven U.S. Senate candidates and one candidate for governor from the August primary election ballot.

Reports indicate the committee ruled Saturday the removed candidates lacked voting credentials to run as Republicans as set in party bylaws. According to State Republican Party rules, candidates must be active members and vote in three of four statewide GOP primaries in the counties where they live.

The Senate candidates removed from the ballot are David Anderson, Rashard Lamar Coker, Larry Crim, Tommy Hay, Theresa Honeycutt, J. Darrell Lynn and Ronaldo Toyos. The gubernatorial candidate is Eddie Murphy.

In a statement Saturday, Party chairman Scot Golden said the GOP seeks to ensure “the candidates seeking our nomination are active and invested in the Republican Party in Tennessee.”