On September 25, a Missouri state trial court invalidated the Secretary of State’s proposed description of several possible initiatives concerning reproductive rights and wrote his own descriptions. James v Ashcroft, Cole County Circuit Court, 23AC-cc03167. These descriptions appear on the initiative petition, so now the proponents can start to circulate whichever initiative they desire.
Here is the ruling. Thanks to Ken Bush for this news.
Newsweek has this article about Minnesota Democratic Congressman Dean Phillips and his thoughts about perhaps seeking the Democratic presidential nomination. Phillips is 54 and was elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2020 and 2022.
The article makes frequent reference to minor party and independent candidates and parties who will be in the 2024 general election.
John Anthony Castro, a Texan and a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, has filed lawsuits in 17 states seeking to keep former President Donald Trump off presidential primary ballots. All are in federal court except the New Hampshire case.
In order of the lawsuits filing date, they are in these states: (1) Florida; (2) New Hampshire; (3) Arizona; (4) Maine; (5) Oklahoma; (6) Pennsylvania; (7) Idaho; (8) Kansas; (9) Nevada; (10) South Carolina; (11) West Virginia; (12) North Carolina; (13) New Mexico; (14) Montana; (15) Massachusetts; (16) Utah; (17) Connecticut.
His Florida lawsuit has already lost on standing grounds. Judge Aileen Cannon wrote in a single sentence that he lacks standing, but she didn’t say why.
Other plaintiffs have filed similar lawsuits in California, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, and Virginia. The Florida one has already lost because the plaintiffs are voters and they were ruled to lack standing.
On September 23, the Nevada Republican State Committee voted again to hold a caucus on February 8 to choose delegates to the national convention. The state, over the party’s opposition, is holding a Republican presidential primary on February 6. Even though the state party’s lawsuit to block the government-administered presidential primary did not win, the party is effectively blocking the primary from having any meaning. The party says no presidential candidate who files for the government-administered primary will be eligible to participate in the party-administered caucus.
Three U.S. Supreme Court decisions in the 1970’s and early 1980’s make it clear that a state government may hold a presidential primary, but it is the state party that determines who the delegates are. Thanks to PoliticalWire for this news.
On Sunday, NBC News Poll released a 2024 presidential general election poll on the NBC television program Meet the Press. The results: Trump 39%, Biden 36%, unnamed Libertarian 5%, unnamed No Labels nominee 5%, unnamed Green Party nominee 4%, other or undecided 11%.
See the discussion of this poll. The figures are presented shortly past the two-minute mark. Thanks to Ken Bush for the link.
