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Mel Packer Dropping out of Senate Race

Mel Packer, the Green Party candidate for US Senate in Pennsylvania, is dropping out of the race today. From the Associated Press via the Times-Leader:

Mel Packer, the Green Party’s nominee for Sen. Arlen Specter’s seat, said Monday he cannot overcome a challenge by Democratic nominee Joe Sestak.

The 65-year-old Packer said he has only about 1,000 votes to spare above the 19,000 he needs to qualify for the ballot.

Packer, a physician’s assistant at a Pittsburgh hospital emergency room, said he has neither the money or time to spend on what he regards a futile fight. He said he’s signing papers to stop the challenge and withdraw his candidacy.

This result was not unanticipated. Packer had already stated he did not believe he would survive Sestak’s challenge to his petitions. Libertarian Douglas Jamison is still in the process of having his petitions challenged, so he still has a shot to appear on the ballot in November.

20 Comments

  1. VAGreen: “No!”

    May the stupidity of Cobb – LaMarche P2004 ring to the alternative activists through out the Century. A distinct blue print of what not to do …….

  2. VAGreen VAGreen August 19, 2010

    Lake, if you ever find yourself in Carl Romanelli’s shoes, then you question Mel Packer’s courage for dropping out. When you’re threatened with the loss of your home because a corrupt state court in the back pocket of the Democratic Party charges you $80,000 for getting knocked off the ballot, then you can start talking smack. Otherwise, give it a rest.
    Seriously. Just stop wallowing in what Pat LaMarche did six years ago and shut up.

  3. NewFederalist NewFederalist August 19, 2010

    Wow! Thanks Catholic Trotskyist… that really clears things up for me!

  4. Catholic Trotskyist Catholic Trotskyist August 19, 2010

    And Johnny Cash was an honorary Catholic Trotskyist. He would have lived another 20 years but he was made ill by poison from CIA/fake progressive conspiracy. Tom Petty, who also sang “i Won’t Back Down”, is also a great Catholic Trotskyist leader.
    Mike Kavlan is just as insane as me, Milnes or Lake; he has no strategy to win. He’s only patient with Lake because he agrees with him. If I posted insane ramblings against Kavlan’s enemies but said that Kavlan was awesome, even in a style similar to what I am doing now, Kavlan would be my biggest fan.

  5. Catholic Trotskyist Catholic Trotskyist August 19, 2010

    Michael Kavlan, I am glad to be witnessing the utter failure of your campaign against the great Islamic Trotskyist messenger of God, Keith Ellison, whom I have personally met and spoke with during a political appearance in California, when I personally protected him against an angry Lyndon LaRouche supporter. I did not tell him about Catholic Trotskyism; however, I probably should have. Maybe he would have talked about it publicly after that.

  6. Michael Cavlan RN Michael Cavlan RN August 18, 2010

    New Federalist

    Let me lay it out for you.

    Many in the alternative parties movement (not third party) act just as shamefully as the Dims and Rethugs.

    From the Verdant Greens who only run in ‘safe districts’ or not at all to Wayne Allen Root and his insane, almost racist rantings.

    Don Lake, as the saying goes “From your lips to God’s ears.”

  7. NewFederalist NewFederalist August 18, 2010

    Don- I don’t understand what you mean by the last post. Could you explain it for me? Thanks.

  8. Michey and Donnie, two bodies, of one mind!

    The Democans and the Republicrats are just horrible. The alternative parties, instead of taking the high road of ethics and good will, mimic the bad guys at every [well, many] turn(s) …….

  9. Michael Cavlan RN Michael Cavlan RN August 18, 2010

    Too bad. Sadly predictable.

    However, inn Minnesota my (our) campaign for US Congress in the 5th CD against “progressive” Democrat Keith Eellison will carry on.

    In fact our campaign theme will be “I Won’t Back Down” by Johnny Cash.

    Great song and great theme.

    Carry on. Building and organizing an opposition to the rotten, corrupt, pro-war two party system. Like we really mean it.

    No channeling of Pat Don’t Vote For Me LaMarche here folks.

  10. NewFederalist NewFederalist August 18, 2010

    And now Ballot Access News is reporting the entire Libertarian statewide slate has withdrawan in the face of challenges. What a terrible shame.

  11. Kimberly Wilder Kimberly Wilder August 18, 2010

    It stinks when third party candidates get put down by the system – created by the status quo two parties to keep the masses down – and it gets written off as the third parties being inadequate to the task.

    I am not sure the full picture. But, wish that Mel Packer had left with more of a confident bang – more of a proud attack on the bad system.

    It is difficult. With a petition drive, the media and the political class try to foist on the candidates a sense that they should be able to do the task, and a sense of shame if they cannot succeed in the rigged game.

    Oh, well…

  12. paulie paulie August 17, 2010

    But you need a lot more medication than I need.

    All your medications are belongs to me.

  13. Catholic Trotskyist Catholic Trotskyist August 16, 2010

    That was Mike Cunningham, one of my other personalities.

    “A Different Green Party Conservative” is another one of my personalities, by the way.

  14. Mike Cunningham Mike Cunningham August 16, 2010

    God bless you too Green Party Conservative. But you need a lot more medication than I need. And you’re just jealous because Catholic Trotskyism would bring national high speed rail a lot faster than Green Party Conservativism would, so get over it.

  15. Green Party Conservative Green Party Conservative August 16, 2010

    Hey Mel,

    You rock.

    Keep pluggin’ as Green Party candidate for something, whether it is local, state, or federa.

    You are speaking a vital Green Party truth for our beloved nation.

  16. Green Party Conservative Green Party Conservative August 16, 2010

    amen. indeed.

    God bless you. And, get back on your medication…or good Kentucky Whiskey…or Scotch at least…laddy..

  17. Catholic Trotskyist Catholic Trotskyist August 16, 2010

    Very smart decision by Mel Packer. Hopefully more greens should do this; thus preparing and aiding the rise of great Catholic Trotskyist Democrats like the venerable Joseph Sestak, into office, thus preparing the way for the Obama Catholic Trotskyist revolution in his second term and the establishment of the great New World Order, amen.

  18. NewFederalist NewFederalist August 16, 2010

    He really had no choice. Unless he wanted to subsist on cat food in retirement he had to drop out. The law is just a little bit in favor of the dominant parties.

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