A man planning to run in the Republican primary for the West Virginia state Senate has withdrawn after accidentally registering himself as a Democrat, ten years ago.

Ronald Jean Moltere, 64, recently discovered the mistake he made a decade ago. He explained that he never found out about the mistake because he had always voted in the general elections, and never in the primaries.

He explained that a change in party would require a 60-day window before the official filing period, which is set to begin on Monday, and will run until January 26.

"Evidently I can't change parties (in time) before the filing period," the Herald Mail quoted Moltere, who explained that the mistake was the cause of "much stress at the time."

"It was devastating," Moltere said. "I felt like I was shot through the heart."

Moltere considered running as a Democrat, but later rejected the idea, saying that he could not run for the Democratic party if he were "to be honest with myself and my convictions."

"I want to thank all those who supported me and encouraged me for this race because I felt that I could and would represent the citizens of the 16th District to make positive changes," Moltere added.

He named his planned reforms to have involved "true and effective tax reforms that would have stimulated long-term growth, creating opportunities for West Virginians."