On the evening of August 11, Ari Melber, standing in for hostess Rachel Maddow, aired a segment on Donald Trump and sore loser laws. I was a guest for about four minutes, and my segment can be seen here. Before I came on the show, Melber had quoted from an Ohio law that says independent candidates associated with a political party may not get on the general election ballot.
Ballot Access News
Edited By Richard Winger
Excellent job, Richard!
The best part is about 3:23-3:27.
If only Donald Trump was as intelligent and thoughtful as Richard Winger!
I had same reaction to question as Richard did at 3:27. LOL Kevin Knedler, former LP candidate for SOS in OHIO in 2014.
When Johnson was challenged in Ohio in 2012 we quickly pointed out to the Republican AG and Republican SoS that Ohio’s law did not apply (for several reasons). One or the other must have immediately informed the Republican challengers behind the scenes, because the next day they withdrew their sore-loser challenge against Johnson.
They need Richard Winger as a regular commentator. There is no better expert on election law.
When will ANY lawyers with ANY brains detect that —
1. Separate is NOT equal. Brown v. Bd of Ed 1954
2. Every election is NEW and has ZERO to do with any prior election — except the number of actual voters in such prior election.
i.e. Way too many MORON lawyers and judges to count in ballot access cases since 1968 — a mere 47 years of JUNK cases.
Excellent job, Richard. However, I think all of this speculation is illogical. I really don’t think Trump will run independent or “third party.” John Anderson and Gary Johnson did so only because they were being ignored early on by the press/party, short on cash, and their respective campaigns were going nowhere. Quite the opposite for Donald. Also, Trump would have no interest being a spoiler to help get Hillary elected. Trump is all about Trump. The Donald is in this all the way. If the GOP mistreats him and tries to shaft him like they did to Ron Paul, that will be the stupid party’s own undoing. The smart thing for Republicans to do is be as open and fair as possible and rely on a natural un-manipulated outcome of their national convention. If Trump loses that, he will be gracious and most likely put lots of $$ behind the party and its PACs and nominee. BTW, in West Virginia, people registered to vote “Other Party: unqualified party” are treated the same voters registered as unaffiliated or independent – we can request either a Democrat or Republican primary ballot.
What about Gary Johnson in Michigan in 2012?
How much P.R. for delegates to the Elephant national convention ???
At least the Donkeys have much P.R. their delegates after the major power struggles in 1968-1988.
The Donald probably won’t make a third party run, but glad you were able to take advantage of the issue to get on MSNBC to talk about sore loser laws. You did well!
Michigan does not bar sore losers from being independent candidates. The state emphasized this point forcefully in its briefs in 2012 in the Gary Johnson case.
Richard, you did really well. The other networks would benefit from having you on to have the same conversation!
Bravo! Richard has once again clarified the election laws to the MSM who get their “facts” from party apparatchicks.
Second everyone else in saying good job, Richard! If more of the mainstream media took their journalistic (as opposed to viewer/reader attracting) responsibilities seriously, Richard Winger would be a regular on these kinds of shows during the next year.
I would encourage everyone including him not to inadvertently reinforce the power of the ruling two-party cartel by using the term “sore loser” in this context without putting quotes around it, though. (If you’re on TV and speak the term, you can make “air quotes” with your hands; if you’re on the radio you can refer to “so-called ‘sore loser’ laws”.)
It’s a pejorative and usually inaccurate descriptor unfairly used to tarnish the image of independent candidates, who already have the deck stacked against them by the cartel and its unduly sycophantic press.