Jersey County, Illinois, Elects an Independent State’s Attorney

Last week, voters of Jersey County, Illinois, again chose Ben Goetten as their State’s Attorney. In most states the same office is called District Attorney. The office is a partisan office.

Goetten had already served four terms as a Democrat, but in 2023 he announced that in 2024, when he was up for re-election, he would run as an independent. He did so, and no one ran against him. It is believed that he is the first independent to be elected to that office in any Illinois county in over a century. Thanks to Sam Cahnman for the news.
Here is a 2023 news story about Goetten’s decision to become an independent.

Arkansas Libertarian Party Won Two Partisan Elections Last Week

The Arkansas Libertarian Party elected two partisan candidates last week. Besides the race in Little Rock, already mentioned on this blog, the party also elected the Constable of Washington Township, Van Buren County. Libertarian nominee Thomas Turcol defeated Republican nominee Shawna LeMarr with 57.6% of the vote.

The jurisdiction is centered on Dennard, Arkansas, in the north center of the state.

President-Elect Donald Trump Says He Will Nominate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for Secretary of Health & Human Services

On November 14, President-Elect Donald Trump said he will nominate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., for Secretary of Health and Human Services. This is not the usual type of news posted at this blog, but it is relevant because Kennedy was an independent candidate for president during most of the calendar year 2024. Never before had an independent or minor party presidential candidate been appointed to a cabinet post immediately after the election, or perhaps not even for any period afterwards.

Kennedy had suspended his independent campaign on August 23, 2024.