From Ballot Access News:
Gordon Howie, an independent candidate for U.S. Senate, submitted approximately 5,000 signatures on April 29, the independent petition deadline. He needs 3,171 valid signatures.
According to this story, even though the Secretary of State has already said Howie has enough valid signatures, the Republican Party has purchased a copy of the petition, and will seek to determine if the Secretary of State is mistaken. The last part of the story also says the Republican Party may contact all the petition signers.
From the article cited, written by David Montgomery:
Craig Lawrence, chairman of the South Dakota Republican Party, predicted the volunteers would come forward “very soon.” He said the state party isn’t formally involved in the challenge.
But Lawrence isn’t happy about Howie’s decision to abandon the GOP and run as an independent, and he said plenty of other Republicans share that discontent.
“The Minnehaha County party did order them from the secretary of state, but they’ve turned them over to the volunteer group that’s combing over them,” Lawrence said.
Howie said the potential challenge suggests Republicans are scared of him.
“If we were insignificant, they would not be concerned,” Howie said. “This only further demonstrates that we are going to be a very real problem for them in the general election.”
The NSGOP does not like either one. However, many of their grassroots supporters would be shocked and disgusted if they knew that the party they support is engaged in such dirty unsporting behavior.
By “us” I mean those of us not stuck in the usual duopoly.
“Jill Pyeatt May 3, 2014 at 1:43 am
Wow, Republicans are certainly terrified of us. I wonder if they’re aware of how petty and desperate this kind of behavior appears.”
The candidate in question is running as an independent, and is not a member of the Libertarian Party or a libertarian to my knowledge, but as you indicated, this is a desperate and cowardly action from the Republicans.
Wow, Republicans are certainly terrified of us. I wonder if they’re aware of how petty and desperate this kind of behavior appears.