The April 1 Ballot Access News reported that independent Texas gubernatorial candidate Carole Strayhorn had filed a ballot access lawsuit, and that it had been assigned to federal judge Sam Sparks of Austin. On April 3, Judge Sparks recused himself, since he said he is a friend of Strayhorn’s and had signed her petition. The case is now in the hands of U.S. District Court Judge Lee Yeakel, who ruled in favor of the Texas Secretary of State in Ralph Nader’s ballot access lawsuit in 2004.