This post was updated at 8:20 p.m. July 24.
District 7 Wake School Board candidate Jerry Ballan dropped out of the race today, according to an email he sent the Indy in response to our candidate questionnaire. Ballan declined to give a reason for his withdrawal.
The Wake County GOP endorsed Ballan last week. According to Gail Marold of the Wake County Republican Party, the executive committee will meet again soon to endorse another candidate. The party is expected to announce its decision no later than Monday.
The Wake Schools Community Alliance has endorsed Deborah Prickett in District 7. Marold said WSCA’s “support isn’t a factor” in the GOP’s endorsements.
Update: the Wake GOP’s executive committee is scheduled to meet again Aug. 11. Here is a press release issued this evening by the party:
WAKE COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY COMMENTS ON JERRY BALLAN’S WITHDRAWAL FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD RACE RALEIGH, N.C. – July 24, 2009 – Jerry Ballan has announced his withdrawal from the Wake County Board of Education race in District 7. The Wake County Republican Party had endorsed Ballan in this race.
“On behalf of the Wake County Republican Party, we respect Jerry’s personal decision to withdraw from the school board race,” said Wake GOP Chairman Claude E. Pope, Jr. “We appreciate all of his hard work on his campaign as well as his position on the key issues at hand. Jerry has been a valuable contributor to the Wake GOP and we look forward to continue working with him in our voter outreach efforts.”
The Executive Committee of the Wake GOP will be meeting in the near future to discuss next steps regarding the District 7 school board election. Ballan has chosen not to endorse the remaining two candidates, Deborah Prickett and Karen Simon.