This Houston Chronicle story says Texas Democrats are raising money in support of certain Republican candidates who are running against incumbent Republican State Supreme Court Justices. Texas has an open primary. If Democrats are raising money for certain Republican challengers, it seems likely that some voters who consider themselves Democrats will be motivated to vote in the Republican primary, also with the intent to unseat certain incumbents. Thanks to HowAppealing for the link.
When filing for the California primary closes next month, it is expected that there will be independent candidates for at least three of the statewide state offices. It had already been known that Dan Schnur plans to run for Secretary of State. In addition, Orly Taitz plans to run for Attorney General. She had run as a Republican for Secretary of State in 2010, and for U.S. Senate in 2012, but she is now an independent.
Also, Robert C. Newman, of San Bernardino County, plans to run for Governor. He is supported by the Constitution Party. His webpage is newman4governor.org.
On February 24, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Fox v Sanders County Republican Committee, 13-839. The Ninth Circuit had struck down Montana’s law forbidding political parties to endorse or oppose candidates for judge, by a 2-1 vote. Montana had asked for U.S. Supreme Court review, but did not obtain it.
On February 19, a U.S. District Court rejected Bernbeck v Gale, 8:13cv-228, a case against Nebraska’s ban on paying initiative circulators on a per-signature basis. The basis was that the same plaintiff had lost in this issue in state court.
However, the decision says that the plaintiff is free to proceed against another law mentioned in the Complaint, the Nebraska county distribution for statewide initiatives. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled back in 1969 that county distribution requirements for statewide petitions are unconstitutional, because counties have widely differing populations.
On February 11, the New York Senate Elections Committee passed S3149, the National Popular Vote Plan bill. An identical bill, A4422, had passed the Assembly last year, and New York has two-year legislative sessions, so the only barrier to the bill’s passing this year is an upcoming vote in the State Senate. See this story.
