Anti-Trump Republicans Launch the Renew America Movement

Posted on by June 24, 2021
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On June 24, several high-ranking members of the Republican Party launched a new group, the Renew America Movement. The launch was made on a publicly-broadcast meeting that lasted 85 minutes. Participating were five former Republican members of Congress: Barbara Comstock of Virginia, Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania, Charles Djou of Hawaii, Denver Riggleman of Virginia, and Joe Walsh of Illinois.

The group seems to be planning to recruit congressional candidates to run in Republican primaries in 2022. They suggested that in certain districts, they might also run independent candidates.

The name of the organization seems similar to the Serve America Movement. The Serve America Movement, called SAM for short, is committed to building a new party, and is headed by David Jolly, a former Republican congressman from Florida.

Other participants in the RAM meeting were Michael Steele, a former national chair of the Republican Party; Christy Todd Whitman, former Republican Governor of New Jersey; Bill Weld, former Republican Governor of Massachusetts and the 2016 Libertarian Party vice-presidential nominee; and Evan McMullin, independent presidential candidate in 2016.

Maine Makes it Somewhat Easier for a Party to Remain Ballot-Qualified

Posted on by June 24, 2021
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Maine bill LD 1061 has passed the legislature. Governor Janet Mills didn’t sign it, but she didn’t veto it either, so it is now law. It somewhat eases the means for a party to remain ballot-qualified. The old law said it had to have at least 10,000 registered members who actually went to the polls in November, in order to remain on. The new law says it must have 10,000 registered members on general election day, but it doesn’t matter how many of them go to the polls.

Also the bill says a party also remains ballot-qualified if it polls 5% for Governor or President at either of the last two elections.

The bill started out by making it easier for a new party to become ballot-qualified, but that part of the bill was amended out. It originally cut the 5,000-registered members provision to 2,500.

If LD 1061 had been in effect in 2016, the Maine Libertarian Party would have been ballot-qualified in 2020, because Gary Johnson, the 2016 presidential nominee, received 5.09%.

New Hampshire Legislature Passes Bill That Injures Ballot Access

Posted on by June 24, 2021
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On June 24, the New Hampshire passed HB 98, which moves the non-presidential primary from September to August. It also moves the petition deadlines for independent candidates, and the nominees of unqualified parties, from August to July. And it moves the deadline for independent candidates, and the nominees of unqualified parties, to file a declaration of candidacy from June to May. Even presidential candidates must file such documents, so the bill in effect forces unqualified parties to choose their presidential nominees earlier than Memorial Day.

Fortunately, Governor Chris Sununu has virtually said he will veto the bill. The House vote was very close, 192-183, so it is extremely unlikely that the legislature could override a veto. Thanks to Darryl Perry for this news.

Curtis Sliwa, Former State Chair of Reform Party, Wins Republican Primary for Mayor of New York City

Posted on by June 24, 2021
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On June 22, Curtis Sliwa won the Republican primary for Mayor of New York city. See this story. Sliwa was state chair of the Reform Party starting in September 2016. The Reform Party lost its qualified status in New York state in November 2018. In the November 2020 election, Sliwa endorsed Brock Pierce for president. Pierce was an independent presidential candidate who was also the nominee of the Independence Party of New York state.

Sliwa defeated his only opponent in the 2021 primary, Fernando Mateo, even though Mateo received approximately $2,000,000 in public funding, and Sliwa did not receive any public funding. The Republican Parties of Manhattan, Queens, and Bronx endorsed Mateo, but the Republican Parties of Brooklyn and Staten Island endorsed Sliwa. Thanks to Frank Morano for this news.

California Bill to Outlaw Paying Circulators Per-Signature Advances

Posted on by June 23, 2021
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On June 22, the California Assembly Judiciary Committee passed SB 660. It makes it illegal to pay initiative petition circulators on a per-signature basis. The bill now goes to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. It had already passed the Senate.

In the Judiciary Committee, all Democrats voted “yes” and all Republicans voted “no.”