The South Dakota Constitution Party is ballot-qualified, but it still faced a tough ballot access hurdle this month, to qualify its candidate for Governor for its own primary ballot. He needed 250 signatures of registered Constitution Party members, not easy in a party with fewer than 500 members, but he seems to have met the requirement on the deadline, April 4.
A poll conducted by Chicago’s Glengariff Group shows that the Republicans are slightly leading in the Illinois gubernatorial race, regardless of whether African-American State Senator James Meeks enters the race. The poll included 600 voters and was not commissioned by any candidate. The results with Meeks included are: Topinka (Republican) 40%, Blagojevich (Democrat) 38%, Meeks 7%. Without Meeks, the results are: 44% Topinka, 41% Blagojevich.
On the evening of April 3, Tom DeLay let it become known that he will resign from Congress. He had already won the March 2006 primary for the 22nd U.S. House seat. Although Texas permits candidates to withdraw, it does not let parties replace nominees unless they die, become ill, or become ineligible. In order to let the Republican Party replace him with a new nominee, DeLay plans to establish domicile in Virginia. Thanks to Rick Hasen for this.
There may be a special election to fill the vacancy. Texas special elections are conducted as non-partisan elections, although a new law permits party labels on the ballot.
On the evening of April 3, Tom DeLay let it become known that he will resign from Congress. He had already won the March 2006 primary for the 22nd U.S. House seat. Although Texas permits candidates to withdraw, it does not let parties replace nominees unless they die, become ill, or become ineligible. In order to let the Republican Party replace him with a new nominee, DeLay plans to establish domicile in Virginia. Thanks to Rick Hasen for this.
There may be a special election to fill the vacancy. Texas special elections are conducted as non-partisan elections, although a new law permits party labels on the ballot.
Posted by Eric Garris
John Haag, co-founder and long-time leader of the California Peace and Freedom Party, died March 29 after a brief illness. He was 76.
John was my mentor in my early days of politics. He taught me the basic skills of political organizing and strategy that have been essential to me over the last 35 years. John was a good friend who taught me a lot about life.
He was also a poet, proprietor of the Beat generation Venice West Cafe and a founder of the Free Venice (California) movement. He was an early state chairperson of P&F and a candidate for office, including controller and lieutenant governor, a number of times. He was the California campaign chair for Dr. Benjamin Spock’s president candidacy on the Peoples Party in 1972, in which P&F participated.
Here is an article he wrote about the history of P&F.
No date has yet been set for a memorial service. Please send letters – and photos – to the Free Venice Beachhead about John for the next issue. Contact: 310-399-2215 or Beachhead@freevenice.org. Thanks to Irv Sutley for letting me know this sad news.
