Presidential candidates must gain a certain number of signatures to see their names on ballots in congressional districts across the country. It’s a good thing when your campaign gains the needed 2000 “valid” signatures for your petitions. Ohio Governor John Kasich failed in that endeavor in Pennsylvania and in Illinois. In a Pennsylvania court, his attorney acknowledged the campaign had too few signatures. The defense depends on the what the meaning of “deadline” is, not what rules dictate. Commentary about Illinois a few paragraphs down.
Cartoon Courtesy of Nate Beeler and Columbus Dispatch
PULLOUT QUOTE:
Judge Leadbetter said the case is “a matter of significance,” because Mr. Kasich is running for president and because there does not appear to be a legal precedent determining whether the deadline is 5 p.m. or midnight.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s own lawyer agrees the presidential campaign submitted fewer valid signatures than are required for the candidate to appear on Pennsylvania’s primary ballot. But he argued in court Wednesday that it doesn’t matter because an objection to Mr. Kasich’s nominating petitions was filed 13 minutes too late.
At issue is whether challenges to Pennsylvania nominating petitions are due by 5 p.m. or 11:59 p.m. on the last day to file.
Attorneys for Mr. Kasich and the objector have stipulated that the campaign filed no more than 2,184 signatures with the state, and that 192 of those signatures were not valid. Republican and Democratic candidates for president must submit 2,000 signatures to appear on the ballot.
But the objection to Mr. Kasich’s nominating petition was filed at 5:13 p.m. on the last day to challenge nominating petitions, and his attorney argues that makes it 13 minutes too late to be considered. The objector’s attorney disagrees, saying there is no requirement that the filing be received by 5 p.m.
Both sides appeared Wednesday in Commonwealth Court, where Judge Bonnie Leadbetter said the matter may go to a three-judge panel. She set deadlines of next Monday and Wednesday for additional briefs.
Judge Leadbetter said the case is “a matter of significance,” because Mr. Kasich is running for president and because there does not appear to be a legal precedent determining whether the deadline is 5 p.m. or midnight.
If Kasich has an Illinois challenge, he will not be on the ballot in the 1st, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th congressional districts –– if –– there’s a challenge. There is no challenge.
So Kasich will be on the ballot. But considering that he couldn’t even scrape together a couple thousand signatures of people saying “sure it’s fine, you can run,” it’s hard to imagine he’s going to do well.
UPI explains the districts where Kasich failed: the South Side of Chicago (1st), Madison County in the southernmost part of the state (12th), the city of Champaign in central Illinois (13th), parts of DeKalb and DuPage counties in the Chicago suburbs (14th), southeastern Illinois (15th) and north-central Illinois, including Rockford (16th).
You know, places with population.
The mark of a truly powerhouse campaign. Way to go Gov. Kasich! You’re not only unable to get the signatures, you’re not even consequential enough for anyone to care enough to challenge it. Great job! Source: RedState
Cartoon Courtesy of Nate Beeler
When I think of John Kasich sitting in the Oval Office, I think of the rude awakening he will encounter when he faces off with today’s Democrats. Nothing today is as it was back in his day, and back in his day is the foundation of his campaign.
Conservative Treehouse has some theory on the lackadaisical Kasich campaign. H/T Laura Alcorn at Conservative2Conservative. Looking for a conservative grassroots forum for insider news, visit Laura here.
Linked in Theo Spark’s Daily Spark – read it here, and find intriguing headlines for the day.
If you have time, please vote in my presidential poll, top of this page on your right.
If you would like to receive Maggie’s Notebook daily posts direct to your inbox, no ads, no spam, EVER, enter your email address in the box below.