Mecklenburg County Republicans selected a developer and a philanthropic consultant Tuesday to replace two legislative incumbents who decided not to run.

The executive committee of the county GOP met behind closed doors and selected developer Richard Killian, 42, to represent Rep. Doug Vinson's south Mecklenburg district. He got 19 votes, five more than businessman Jay Morrison, 35.

Killian, whom Vinson endorsed, is a 1986 graduate of West Point and a member of the Army Reserves, said Chris Sullivan, spokeswoman for the Mecklenburg County GOP.

No Democrat filed for the race so Killian has no opposition in November.

Ruth Samuelson, 46, was selected unanimously to run for the seat being vacated by Rep. Ed McMahan, who like Vinson decided not to seek re-election for personal reasons. Samuelson, a former Mecklenburg County commissioner, was the only GOP candidate for McMahan's district, said John Aneralla, head of the Mecklenburg County chapter of the GOP before the candidates were selected.

A Democrat, Paula McSwain, also is running in that district.

Killian served on a school board in his native Wisconsin before moving to North Carolina in 1995.

"I'm excited," he said. "I knew that I was the underdog coming into it, but I persevered and am pleasantly surprised."

Morrison, endorsed by Dan Ramirez, Vinson's father-in-law, has given thousands of dollars to GOP candidates and the local party.

The chairman of the state Democratic Party criticized Republicans for the closed-door selections.

"Once again, Republicans are making public decisions in secret," Jerry Meek said in a statement.

Local GOP officials say state law allows them to hold executive committee meetings in private. Aneralla defended the selection process.

"The school board holds closed meetings all the time to pick people," he said. "And they're a public entity. We're not."

Bill Peaslee, chief of staff for the state Republican Party, said it's up to local party officials to decide whether to close a meeting.

About half a dozen statewide candidates are chosen by caucus each election cycle, said Gary Bartlett, state elections director.