SARATOGA SPRINGS—On Friday, March 21, Saratoga Springs City GOP Committee Chairman Dave Harper stepped down from his seat in order to pursue the district attorney’s office. Saratoga County’s District Attorney, James A. Murphy III, announced on February 14 that he would be pursuing a seat on the bench in Saratoga County Court to replace retiring Judge Jerry Scarano. “I wanted to give the committee time to select a new chairman before this year’s elections, as I focus my effort on running for district attorney,” said Harper in a release announcing his abdication of his chairmanship. He also stated that he was not required to resign in order to pursue the spot but did because he thought “it was the right thing to do.” Harper will be running against three other candidates: First Assistant District Attorney Karen Heggen, Assistant District Attorney Debra Kaelin and Assistant District Attorney James Davis.