On March 22, Mississippi Insurance Commissioner George Dale filed a lawsuit in state court to obtain a place on this year’s Democratic primary, which is held in August. He has been elected as the Democratic nominee in every election since 1975. But this year the party refused to accept him as a candidate, since the party says Dale supported President Bush in 2004. Nothing in the Mississippi election code gives a political party the authority to evaluate the political actions of individuals who wish to run in party primaries. The case is Dale v Mississippi Democratic Party, 7th Circuit Court, 251-07-268. Thanks to Steve Rankin for this news.
The Democrats have a party rule allowing them to take this action, and they say the rule has been approved by the U. S. Dept. of Justice. Commissioner Dale mentioned in a 2004 speech that he was voting for President Bush.
There seems to be a double standard, as the Democrats certified Shawn O’Hara’s candidacy for state treasurer. As a Reform Party leader, O’Hara sat next to Ralph Nader in 2004 as O’Hara and the RP endorsed Nader for president.
March 1 was the qualifying deadline for all candidates, so this would seem to be Commissioner Dale’s only possible way of getting to face the voters this year.
Certain blacks on the Democratic executive committee, including Ike Brown of Noxubee County, appear to be pushing to keep Dale off the ballot. Dale’s absence from the ballot would clear the way for a black candidate to win the Democratic primary.
Democratic chairman Wayne Dowdy, who opposed the committee’s action, today predicted that Dale would win his lawsuit.