Credit: Submitted
A Bristol Township resident who was challenging incumbent Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick in the spring primary has withdrawn from the race.
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Caroline Avery, a resident of the township’s West Bristol section, withdrew her candidacy late last week, according to information filed with the Pennsylvania Department of State.
Avery’s withdraw follows a challenge to her nominating petitions that came before Commonwealth Court Senior Judge Bonnie Brigance Leadbetter in Philadelphia last week. The challenge could have put Avery’s ability to remain on the GOP ballot into question.
The court docket lists that Avery requested to withdraw her candidacy before the judge. The judge then approved the request and issued an order stating so.
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Avery, a California native who has lived in Bucks County for years, ran as an “America First” candidate and felt Fitzpatrick wasn’t a strong enough conservative for the district.
Previously, Avery told LevittownNow.com she wasn’t very political until then-candidate Donald Trump started making headlines that grabbed her attention in 2015.
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Last month, this news organization reported there was a discussion between the four Republican campaigns challenging Fitzpatrick, a three-term official from Middletown Township, that they would leave the race so the candidate who received most petition signatures would be in a stronger position to challenge the incumbent.
Northampton resident Alex Entin received the most signatures, according to state records.
Until last week’s court challenge, Avery remained in the race.
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As of Monday, Fitzpatrick and Entin are set to go head-to-head in the May primary.
Fellow Republicans Bradley Lanning, of Upper Bucks County, and Dasha Pruett, of Delaware County, both dropped out in recent weeks. Pruett has faced scrutiny over forged signatures a LevittownNow.com investigation found on her petitions, but she said it was not her doing.
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Bensalem Township U.S. Army veteran Ashley Ehasz, of Bensalem Township, remains the lone candidate from her party in the race. Her challenger – Lower Makefield Township U.S. Navy veteran Paul Fermo – ended his campaign last month.
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