JACKSONVILLE, Fla.—A judge threw out a lawsuit Friday meant to open a State Attorney's race to 440,000 voters who are non-Republicans in Duval, Clay and Nassau counties.
"We expected it."
That was the initial reaction from Wes White, one of the candidates vying to become the 4th Circuit State Attorney.
On Friday Judge Richard Townsend dismissed a lawsuit finding - under Florida law and based on previous court decisions - the motive to allow Kenny Leigh to file as a write in candidate in the race didn't matter.
So what does this decision mean for you? Well, if you are a registered Democrat or non-Republican, you won't be able to vote in the Aug. 30 Primary for the State Attorney's race.
Local attorneys Samuel Jacobson and Bill Sheppard filed the lawsuit. They argued that Leigh was a fraud.
They allege Angela Corey's now former campaign manager drove to Tallahassee to file Leigh's paperwork to run. Leigh, a registered Republican, has also donated money to Corey's campaign.
White and Jacobson hope to bring their case before the Florida Supreme Court - but they don't have a lot of time before the primary at the end of August.
"Well we are certainly up against the clock, but if things get accelerated fast enough, it is doable within the time frame," White says.
White says he believes that Leigh should withdraw from the race.
"The State Attorney is supposed to represent everyone in the fourth circuit. To immediately cut off 440,000 people right out the gate, that is crazy," he says. "It is also unfair and unwise. It should lead the legislature to correct this problem and or make the state attorney race non partisan because that is what it ought to be."
Angela Corey's campaign office issued a statement, saying, "Neither the campaign, nor Ms. Corey were ever a party to this lawsuit and had no further comment."
We reached out to all of the candidates but White was the only one to returned our calls by the time of this writing.