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California 2024 U.S. Senate Race

Posted on October 16, 2023 by Richard WingerOctober 16, 2023

On October 10, Steve Garvey said he would run for the U.S. Senate in California as a Republican. See this story. He is famous for his sports accomplishments in baseball and also football.

If two prominent Republicans were to run for that Senate seat, it is conceivable, though unlikely, that the top two vote-getters in the March 2024 primary would be two Republicans. There are three prominent Democrats running for the seat, all of them members of the U.S. House. More well-known Democrats might also emerge, including possibly the appointed incumbent Democratic Senator, Laphonza Butler.

A November 2024 California ballot with only two Republicans listed, and with no-write space, would certainly upset the top-two system. Thanks to Thomas Jones for the link.

U.S. District Court in Michigan Libertarian Intra-Party Dispute Refuses to Stay Injunctive Relief that She Already Granted to the Libertarian National Committee

Posted on October 16, 2023 by Richard WingerOctober 16, 2023

On October 13, U.S. District Court Judge Judith Levy refused to stay her own earlier injunction in Libertarian National Committee v Saliba, e.d., 5:23cv-11074. This is the trademark lawsuit involving two factions of the Michigan Libertarian Party. The faction supported by the Libertarian National Committee last month had won an injunction against the other faction.

The judge says the injunction only applies to activities involving the “sale, offering for sale, distribution or advertising of any good or service”, and that both factions are still free to call themselves the Libertarian Party, aside from the quoted activity. The quote is from the federal trademark law, the Lanham Act. Here is the judge’s order.

West Virginia Secretary of State Legal Brief Says Fourteenth Amendment, Section Three, Doesn’t Apply to Presidential Candidates

Posted on October 16, 2023 by Richard WingerOctober 16, 2023

On October 12, the West Virginia Secretary of State filed a brief in Castro v Warner, s.d., 2:23cv-598. This is one of the lawsuits around the country filed by John Anthony Castro to keep former President Donald Trump off Republican presidential primary ballots.

Among other arguments, the Secretary of State argues that the Fourteenth Amendment, section 3, does not apply to presidential candidates.

The Secretary of State also accuses Castro of dismissing his cases that ended up in front of U.S. District Court Judges appointed by Republican presidents, while pursing his cases that are in front of judges appointed by Democratic presidents. Also the state says Castro does not have standing because even if he is a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, he hasn’t showed that keeping Trump on the ballot helps the Castro campaign. Castro argues that if Trump weren’t allowed to run, that would boost the Castro campaign, but the state says he has no evidence for that.

More on the New Zealand Election of October 14, 2023

Posted on October 16, 2023 by Bill RedpathOctober 16, 2023

Amplifying Richard Winger’s post of two days ago, the Prime Minister-elect of New Zealand, Christopher Luxon, wants to form a coalition government with ACT New Zealand, which is a libertarian party. Final vote counts aren’t in yet, but, as of now, the two parties won 61 of 121 seats in the New Zealand parliament.

New Zealand’s adoption of proportional representation has made ACT New Zealand a political power in that nation.

Here is a story on this development.

Here is the Wikipedia article on ACT New Zealand.

Six Parties Win Seats in New Zealand Election of October 14

Posted on October 14, 2023 by Richard WingerOctober 14, 2023

New Zealand held a parliamentary election on October 14. Six parties won seats. New Zealand uses proportional representation. See this article from wikipedia on the election.