On June 9, the 7th circuit will hear Lee v Keith, the case challenging Illinois requirements for independent candidates for legislature. Illinois requires petitions signed by 10% of the last vote cast, to be submitted in December of the year before the election. The lower court had upheld these requirements.
Independent candidates for Congress represent the best hope of bringing sanity to the political process in Washington. All semblance of statesmanship has been abandoned in recent years by the two major parties, and without a strong, independent “middle wing”, Congress will continue to fail in its oversight responsibilities, and in creating legislative solutions to our most intractable problems.