U.S. Senator John Cornyn Favors Changing Federal Campaign Finance Laws to Assist Political Parties

Posted on by September 24, 2012
1

Roll Call has this story about U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Cornyn says, “I believe we should strengthen the political parties, and that starts with revising the federal fundraising restrictions and coordinated limits on both parties. Anyone who supports more campaign finance transparency should support a strong political party system.”

Under current federal campaign finance laws, political parties are the only organizations that cannot spend unlimited amounts of money on independent expenditures. They are also subject to strict limits on how much money individuals may donate to them, even for activities that do not relate to campaigns for federal office. Cornyn shows his mind-set with his reference to “both” parties, when of course there are more than two political parties in the United States. Thanks to Rick Hasen’s ElectionLawBlog for the link.

South Carolina Green Party Legislative Candidate Boosted by News Story About the Incumbent

Posted on by September 24, 2012
1

The Charleston Post and Courier of September 24 has a major story about the Speaker of the South Carolina House, Bobby Harrell. According to the story, for at least four years he has reimbursed himself from campaign contributions and has not kept receipts or other records showing how he spent the money. Representative Harrell has served in the legislature for twenty years. He was unopposed for re-election in his Charleston district in November 2010. He is co-chair of the 2012 PGA Championship, and it appears much of the money was spent on his trips to PGA tournaments in other states.

In 2012, he happens to have two ballot-listed opponents, Green Party nominee Larry Carter Center, and independent John Steinberger, a fair tax activist. The South Carolina Democratic Party has initially thought of cross-endorsing Center. South Carolina permits fusion, and for a while it appeared he would be the first Green Party nominee in South Carolina to be listed as the Democratic nominee as well. But then the Democratic Party changed its mind and returned Center’s filing fee, so he is only listed as a Green. Thanks to Eugene Platt for the link.

Poll in Arkansas for the Four U.S. House Races Includes All Candidates on the Ballot

Posted on by September 23, 2012
3

This Arkansas poll of the four U.S. House races in that state includes all candidates listed on the ballot in each race. Both the Green Party and the Libertarian Party have candidates in all four races. Although the poll talks excitedly about the prospect that Republicans will win all four races, Republicans already have three of the four seats. Thanks to Mr. Straw for the link.

South Carolina Working Families Party Gains Greater Acceptance

Posted on by September 23, 2012
1

South Carolina has always permitted fusion (i.e., letting two parties jointly nominate the same candidate), but it has not been used very much in the last 100 years. The Working Families Party, which has been ballot-qualified in South Carolina starting in 2006, had had to struggle to persuade Democrats (those that the party wants to cross-endorse) to accept the WFP nomination.

This year, however, four Democratic nominees for U.S. House are also Working Families Party nominees. By contrast, there were only two such U.S. House Democratic nominees who accepted the party’s nomination in 2006, and none in 2008, and one in 2010. Of course, sometimes the Working Families Party does not desire to nominate certain Democratic nominees.

Here is an article about the Working Families Party’s four nominees for U.S. House. The Working Families Party also has more legislative nominees (again, they are also Democratic nominees) than ever before in South Carolina.

South Carolina, like New York and Connecticut, lets the voter choose the party label for candidates who are the nominees of two parties. So, a voter can not only vote for such a person, but can choose whether to cast the vote under the Democratic label or the Working Families label. Most states that permit fusion do not give the voter that option.