RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) ó A candidate for chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party has sued a radio show host and a company that owns Wilmington radio stations for libel.

Tom Fetzer said Tuesday he filed the lawsuit in Wake County Superior Court late Monday to defend and protect his name.

The former Raleigh mayor accuses talk show host Curtis Wright of forwarding an anonymous letter he knew to be false to party leaders. The lawsuit doesn’t detail the letter, but Fetzer has said it falsely claims he is gay.

Paul Knight of Sea-Comm ó which runs the stations on which Wright appears ó said the lawsuit is unfounded and will be proven in the company’s reply.

Fetzer is one of four announced candidates for party chairman at the convention later this month.