Former State Senator Bryan Taylor (R-Prattville) has withdrawn his name from the Republican Primary for Alabama Supreme Court Place 1, according to a statement to Yellowhammer News.

Taylor, a former aid to Governor Bob Riley, served one term in the Alabama Senate from 2010-2014 and most recently served as Governor Kay Ivey’s chief legal counsel.

Taylor exits the primary which already sported two competitive entrants: incumbent Justice Greg Shaw and State Senator Cam Ward (R-Alabaster).

Taylor never launched a full-fledged campaign for the position. The only steps he took towards running were filing the necessary paperwork and paying the qualifying fee to the Alabama Republican Party by the deadline on November 8.

“Now, after spending a few weeks prayerfully considering the options with my family, I have decided not to run this year,” he told Yellowhammer.

“I took steps earlier this week to notify the Alabama Republican Party of my decision not to run, and my name will not appear on the ballot,” he added.

Yellowhammer has reviewed a document provided by the Secretary of State’s office that confirms Bryan Taylor will not be on the ballot.

The former state senator from Prattville went on to say he would focus his political activities on helping to elect his wife, Jessica Taylor, who is running in the primary to represent Alabama’s second congressional district.

Bryan Taylor alluded in his statement to “another opportunity” for himself besides campaigning for the supreme court, but he did not elaborate on the specifics of what that opportunity would be.

Alabama’s primaries will be held on March 3.

Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: henry@new-yhn.local or on Twitter @HenryThornton95.