Tony Beatty, a longtime Republican campaign strategist and consultant, pulled out of the District 1 race for the Hall County Board of Commissioners on Thursday after qualifying earlier this week. Lawyer Paul Stanley, who oversees the qualifying and credentialing process for Republican candidates seeking local elected office, told The Times that Beatty signed an affidavit asking that his name be removed from the ballot. “It is with much prayer and consideration that I announce I will not continue to seek the Republican nomination in the May 20 primary for county commission in District 1,” Beatty said in a statement.