Evan McMullin, independent candidate for U.S. Senate from Utah, raised $1,032,983 in the last three months, according to this news story. No one else running for U.S. Senate in Utah in 2022 raised that much. Incumbent Republican Mike Lee raised $523,142, but Lee had reserves so he still has more cash on hand than McMullin.
Last year the Federal Election Commission told Jill Stein, Green Party 2016 presidential nominee, that she must repay $175,272 in 2016 primary season matching funds. The determination said the FEC had overpaid her, because the cutoff should have been when the Green Party nominated her, not the later date when the Peace & Freedom Party of California considered her candidacy but nominated someone else. Stein argues the FEC is using the wrong cut-off date, and she has asked the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. circuit, to settle the issue.
The case is Stein v FEC, 21-1213. On January 31, the court said Stein’s brief is due February 14; the FEC brief is due March 16; and the Stein reply brief is due April 6.
As of January 29, 2022, here is North Carolina registration data: Democratic 2,495,372; Republican 2,184,599; Libertarian 48,113; independent and miscellaneous 2,478,623.
Percentages are: Democratic 34.63%; Republican 30.31%; Libertarian .67%; independent and miscellaneous 34.39%.
Percentages on October 27, 2020 had been: Democratic 35.67%; Republican 30.19%; Libertarian .63; Constitution .06%; Green .05%; independent and miscellaneous 33.41%.
Tennessee State Senator Frank Niceley (R-Strawberry Plains) has introduced SB 1883. It would abolish primaries for U.S. Senate. Instead, members of the state legislature who are members of a particular party would nominate their party’s U.S. Senate nominees.
As of January 30, the Alabama Libertarian Party has 49,000 raw signatures on its party petition for 2022. It needs 51,588 valid. The deadline is in early May 2022. Assuming the party qualifies, 2022 will be the first election in Alabama since 2002 that voters will have seen someone who is not a Republican or Democratic nominee on their ballot for statewide office (other than president, which requires 5,000 signatures for an independent).
