On April 11, Russ Diamond declared he will petition his way onto the Pennsylvania ballot this year as an independent candidate for Governor. Diamond is a businessman who founded “Pennsylvania Clean Sweep”, a citizens group outraged that the Pennsylvania legislature last year voted itself a substantial pay raise. Diamond needs 66,827 valid signatures by August 1. If he succeeds, he will be the first independent on the Pennsylvania ballot for Governor since 1942.
On April 11, the 6th circuit refused Ralph Nader’s request for a rehearing en banc in his Michigan ballot access case. Nader had appeared on the Michigan ballot in 2004 as an independent, but he had preferred to be listed as the Reform Party nominee. But the Michigan Reform Party was split, and only one set of party officers nominated Nader; the other set said the party didn’t wish to run any presidential candidate. The Michigan Secretary of State refused to decide which set of state party officers was legitimate, and left all Reform Party nominees off the ballot. Nader had sued, arguing that the Secretary of State had a duty to decide, but the court had ruled against him. He had asked for a rehearing in January, but that has now been denied.
On April 11, the 6th circuit refused Ralph Nader’s request for a rehearing en banc in his Michigan ballot access case. Nader had appeared on the Michigan ballot in 2004 as an independent, but he had preferred to be listed as the Reform Party nominee. But the Michigan Reform Party was split, and only one set of party officers nominated Nader; the other set said the party didn’t wish to run any presidential candidate. The Michigan Secretary of State refused to decide which set of state party officers was legitimate, and left all Reform Party nominees off the ballot. Nader had sued, arguing that the Secretary of State had a duty to decide, but the court had ruled against him. He had asked for a rehearing in January, but that has now been denied.
State Senator Ben Westlund, independent candidate for Oregon Governor, has raised $450,000, and his petition is being circulated by 300 volunteers. He needs 18,356 signatures of registered voters who abstain from the May primary, and is thought likely to succeed. He is about to launch a TV ad for himself, emphasizing that Oregon last elected an independent as Governor in 1930. That candidate, Julius Meyer, is considered by historians to have been a successful governor who helped restore the state’s budget and economy.
On April 11, Vermont’s Republican Governor chose Chris Pearson to fill a vacant seat in the legislature. Pearson is a Progressive Party member, and was that party’s executive director for five years. In Vermont, the tradition is strong that when there is a legislative vacancy, the Governor appoints a replacement from the ranks of the party that had last won that seat. The vacant seat is vacant because former Progressive Party state legislator Bob Kiss resigned to take his new job as Mayor of Burlington.
