COLUMBUS, Ohio—The crowded Republican primary for the Ohio Supreme Court’s last Democratic-held seat is starting to become a little less congested, as Rocky River Municipal Court Judge Joseph Burke is dropping out of the race.

Burke, who announced his departure Thursday, is the second Republican to drop out of the still-young contest to take on Democratic Justice Jennifer Brunner next year, after incumbent Justice Pat Fischer .

That leaves four Republicans (at least for now) in the race: state appellate Judges Andrew King of Licking County, Jill Lanzinger of Summit County and Ron Lewis of Greene County, as well as former Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Colleen O’Donnell of suburban Columbus.

Burke, in a statement, said he was stepping aside to focus on his current job as administ

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