Kentucky State Representative Nima Kulkarni has been disqualified as a candidate after winning the Democratic primary.
According to Spectrum News, the Kentucky Supreme Court disqualified Kulkarni on Friday, June 7, weeks after she won the May 7 primary. It is unclear how the disqualification will impact the general election.
The legal dispute that disqualified Kulkarni, however, is actually linked to a previous race in 2018 when she was first elected. That year Kulkarni won the seat from former incumbent Dennis Horlander, who is also a Democrat, WAVE 3 reports. She beat Horlander again in 2020.
Earlier this year, Horlander filed a lawsuit alleging that Kulkarni’s candidacy was invalid because one of the two people who signed her paperwork was a registered Republican at the time, WLKY reports. The signee later registered as a Democrat.
According to WAVE 3, the seat will now likely be decided by a special election, WLKY reports. The state Supreme Court’s decision does not bar Kulkarni from potentially participating in a new primary for District 40. Horlander’s attorney Steve Megerle told WLKY that they hope the judge will issue a fuller decision that prevents her from doing so.
Kulkarni’s team she will seek a nomination from party officers.
“We thank the Supreme Court for their review of our position,” Kulkarni’s attorney James Craig said per WAVE 3. “Because there is now a vacancy in the nomination, it falls to the Jefferson County Democratic Party and the party officers for the 40th district to nominate a candidate. Rep. Kulkarni will certainly seek that nomination, and she is eligible for it.”
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