Judge halts ballot control effort

Superior Court Judge Don Thompson on Tuesday ruled that the Catoosa County Republican Party can not control which candidates are eligible to qualify to run as Republicans.  Party leaders controversially pushed the measure to control the ballot, saying that only candidates who “share our values” would be allowed to sign up to run on the party ticket.  Critics have pushed back hard on that effort, saying it puts power into the hands of party insiders instead of voters and that it violates multiple state elections laws.  Thompson agreed, leaving the Catoosa GOP’s efforts to control who is allowed on the ballot SINKING…