Libertarian Party First Ballot Presidential Nomination Vote

Michael Rectenwald:    259
Chase Oliver:               181
Mike Ter Maat:             141
Lars Mapstead:            122
Joshua Smith:                73
Jacob Hornberger:         59
Charles Balley:               21
RFK, Jr.:                         19
Toad:                              16
Art Olivier:                        4

United Kansas Party Wins Ballot Status

The United Kansas Party was officially recognized after submitting petition signatures of registered voters that surpassed 2% of total votes cast in the gubernatorial election in 2022. The new party would be able to nominate candidates and register voters under the United Kansas name.

United Kansas organizer Jack Curtis said the party’s organizers were interested in building the argument for fusion voting — an idea that would enable United Kansas to cross-nominate Republican or Democratic candidates. Litigation may be necessary to implement the concept, he said.  If the nomination system was approved in Kansas, he said, votes would be tallied separately by party and added together to produce final results.

Senator Bob Menendez Petitioning for Re-Election as an Independent

US Sen. Bob Menendez is petitioning to run for Senate as an independent candidate, in a last ditch attempt to save his political career.

The embattled New Jersey Democrat is facing federal charges of fraud, extortion, bribery and acting as a foreign agent for Egypt between 2018 and 2022 — while serving as chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Menendez pulled out of the Democratic Party primary and has been personally collecting signatures to get ballot access, according to the New Jersey Globe. He needs to collect 800 valid signatures by June 4.   When he withdrew from the Democratic primary he said he would consider running as an independent if a jury exonerates him.   If he gets the signatures he has until August 16 to withdraw from the race without appearing on the ballot.

By filing, he would preserve the option of attempting to keep his seat – or possibly enhance his bargaining position if a three-way race suddenly puts the New Jersey Senate seat in play in November. His trial is expected to last at least through the end of June.