(The $650,000 monument to Thad McCotter's overhyped reputation for quirky intellect. - promoted by Eric B.)
A special election has been called to fill the last several weeks of Thad McCotter's term in Congress in the old 11th CD. The election will be held at the same time as the election for a full term in the new 11th. What happens before then is what is interesting. The primary election to pick the Democratic and Republican candidates in the special will be held Wednesday, September 5. I will leave to others to describe the joy Republican operatives must feel at the chance to finally run a legitimate Vote Wednesday campaign. The filing deadline for the special primary is, July 20, a week from Friday. Candidates must submit 1000 valid signatures in a little over a week. That will prove to be a maddening distraction to campaigns aiming at getting through the August 7 primary. Dr. Taj has already said he won't try and I can't figure out how Nancy Cassis can manage an August write-in campaign and gather signatures at the same time. All of which makes it fairly likely that nobody will file. And a write-in campaign in the special primary would need to pick up over 1000 votes and would need to begin before the August primary because absentee ballots will probably be mailed around August 1. It is not clear to me that write-ins will be permitted in any event. I seem to recall that if no candidate files to run in a special primary that party is not on the ballot. Minor parties, however, nominate candidates through conventions. If the Libertarians pick a candidate for the special election that candidate may very well end up running unopposed in the special and become the first Libertarian ever elected to Congress. A footnote in history awaits! |
