Just as we predicted, five Republicans who are vying to take on Governor Whitmer in November were just dropped off the ballot.
The state’s Board of State Canvassers, who were supposed to make a decision on whether to block the Republicans over claims of signature fraud, deadlocked on the issue in a vote of 2-2.
Via DC Examiner:
Five Republican contenders in the Michigan gubernatorial race were blocked Thursday from the primary ballot following a deadlock on the state’s Board of State Canvassers.
Signatures that were retroactively deemed invalid for their nominating petitions resulted in the five coming up short of the threshold to secure a place on the ballot, and due to the board’s deadlock over how to address the situation, the candidates will have to file a lawsuit if they want to get on the ballot.
The board split 2-2 along party lines — the two Republicans on the panel voted against and the two Democrats in favor — over whether the panel should accept recommendations from the Michigan Bureau of Elections to disqualify the five Republicans from the ballot. The bureau made the recommendations in a report released Monday.
As a result of the impasse, the candidates will be blocked from the ballot, according to Brater. The five Republicans include Detroit Police Chief James Craig, Perry Johnson, Michael Brown, Donna Brandenburg, and Michael Markey. All five are vying for the Republican nod to challenge Democratic incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The primary is slated for Aug. 2.
At least one of the disqualified candidates, Craig, has already signaled he will file an appeal, NBC reported. Michigan Republican Party Chairman Ron Weiser condemned the deadlock and said the party will monitor the situation.
“The way this bureau deviated from its historical practice is unprecedented and I think the arguments laid out by the challengers should have their time in court. This is about fighting against voted disenfranchisement and for choice at the ballot box,” he said.
It makes no sense that they are being blocked after a deadlocked vote. You would think that if there’s a tie vote, the candidates would be allowed to stay on the ballot because there wasn’t a majority vote to block them. This whole thing reeks of partisanship at a time when Democrats are expected to lose big time in November.
At this point I would expect both Craig and Johnson to fight this in the courts since they are the leading contenders. And the others will probably follow suit as well and they should. Michigan Democrats should not be allowed to get away with this.