Blankenship to wage third-party bid after losing primary

[DonViejo]

Source: Politico




The failed GOP candidate said he’ll run as the Constitution Party nominee, but West Virginia law appears to stand in his way.

By ALEX ISENSTADT 05/21/2018 07:14 AM EDT

West Virginia coal baron and former prisoner Don Blankenship announced on Monday that he plans to launch a long-shot third-party Senate bid after finishing a distant third in this month’s Republican primary.

Blankenship said he would run in the general election as the Constitution Party nominee. But he would need to overcome a “sore loser” law in West Virginia that prevents failed candidates in a main-party primary from refiling to run in the general election under another party’s banner.

Blankenship said he’s prepared to challenge that law in court if needed. If he’s successful, his move that could hurt the GOP’s prospects of unseating Democratic incumbent Joe Manchin in November.

“It is especially appropriate for me to be nominated by the Constitution Party given its staunch and uncompromising commitment to upholding the United States Constitution,” Blankenship said.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/05/21/don-blankenship-third-party-constitution-party-600779

[marble falls]

1. GOOD!

[JNelson6563]

2. I strongly encourage this!

[bearsfootball516]

3. Lol YES. Split that ticket hard.

[riversedge]

6. yes, would be great, except he still has to get "necessary number of signatures to qualify". My

suggestion is for the Dem party in WV to get out and gather those sigs for B. te he.

.....Under West Virginia law, minor party candidates have until Aug. 1 to file the necessary number of signatures to qualify for the ballot. Still, it is unclear whether Blankenship is eligible.

[Blue_Adept]

4. It'll be interesting to see how the sore loser law is handled

That could have ramifications far beyond this race depending on how far it goes.

[mercuryblues]

5. time to dig up the dirt on his republican challenger

To help Blankenship along in his campaign. If he loses on the sore loser law, can he campaign as a write in?

[lark]

7. Keep it up.

He's doing us a huge favor by splintering the murderous corporo-repugs from the more sane versions and ensuring a Dem win. Thank you Don, best thing you've probably done in your freaking entire murderous life.

[Gothmog]

8. This will be fun to watch

[brooklynite]

9. It's only natural that a convicted lawbreaker would think to violate the "Sore Loser" law in WV...

[eggplant]

10. Run, Forrest! Run! n/t

[spinbaby]

11. From Twitter

Retweeted PoliticsVideoChannel (@politvidchannel):

BREAKING: Don Blankenship has announced that he plans to run third-party for the Senate seat he Wanted to Win as a Republican

This is what he said

“The press & the establishment have colluded & lied to convince the public that I am a moron, a bigot & a felon.”🤣

[Dopers_Greed]

12. C'mon Don! Take on Koch-aine Mitch

So I guess this means we've got a lock on that Senate seat?

[Nitram]

13. That's good news. Gives the Democrat a leg up.

[dajoki]

14. I hope he runs n/t

[MGKrebs]

15. More info...

(See page 4):
https://sos.wv.gov/elections/forms/Documents/Running%20for%20Office/2018%20RFO%20FINAL%20DRAFT.pdf

I don't know how they would challenge this unless it is somehow unconstitutional?

[msongs]

16. seems like it takes away a person's right to run as a candidate unfettered nt

[brooklynite]

17. UPDATE: West Virginia Law that Clearly Bans "Sore Losers" Doesn't Go Into Effect in Time

Ballot Access News:

The 2018 West Virginia legislature passed HB 4434, to make it clear that people who lose a primary (for office other than president) can’t petition onto the general election ballot. See this story, which says that it doesn’t go into effect for 90 days after it was signed. It was signed on March 22, so it won’t be in effect until late June.

But Don Blankenship, who ran for U.S. Senate in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate this year, might want to petition as an independent. Whether the old law would block him is not clear.

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. Kick (nt)