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Court supports loyalty oaths for candidates

(excerpt from) Fox8.com/AP
Appeals court sides with Texas Democrats, says loyalty oath permissible for ballot access
March 24, 2009

An appeals court says the Texas Democratic Party can impose a loyalty oath on candidates seeking the party’s nomination — rejecting a challenge by former presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich of Ohio.

A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on Tuesday affirmed a Texas federal court’s ruling that the oath does not violate the U.S. Constitution.

The Democratic Party argued that it has a right to require candidates to pledge to “fully support” the party’s eventual nominee…

3 Comments

  1. paulie March 25, 2009

    Most state alternative parties don’t have primaries. On the other hand, it could have a negative impact on candidates like Mike Gravel and Ron Paul.

  2. Kimberly Wilder Post author | March 25, 2009

    I think the implications of this are boundless.

    Might actually prove useful. Can third parties make their potential candidates (or endorsed/fusion ticket candidates) sign loyalty oaths in order to be on primary ballots?

Comments are closed.