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Texas Republicans file lawsuit to sweep 23 Libertarians off 2022 ballot as polls forecast tight race
The Texas GOP is worried. Normally third parties hurt the Democratic Party but this cycle the GOP want to know the Libertarians off the ballot
Link to tweet
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/Texas-Republicans-file-lawsuit-to-sweep-23-17381988.php?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=socialflow
Nearly two dozen Republican candidates and officials are seeking to boot their Libertarian opponents from the November ballot, arguing in a petition before the Texas Supreme Court that the third-party candidates are disqualified because they failed to pay their filing fees or gather required petition signatures.
Among the Republicans signing onto the lawsuit, filed earlier this month, are Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and congressional candidate Monica de la Cruz, who is running for a key battleground seat that runs from McAllen to the San Antonio area.
Their petition takes aim at 23 Libertarians who, they say, ran afoul of a 2019 state law that requires third-party candidates to pay the same filing fee as Republicans and Democrats or, as an alternative, collect the same number of petition signatures to secure a spot on the ballot. The lawsuit comes ahead of the Aug. 26 deadline to remove a candidate from this year’s midterm ballot — a deadline Republicans missed in 2020 when they unsuccessfully sought to knock off 44 Libertarian candidates.
The court’s decision could have major implications if any of the 23 races this year are decided by a narrow margin. Libertarians are thought to pose a threat to Republican candidates in tight races, possibly siphoning off just enough votes to sway a close outcome.
As Texas has grown increasingly competitive in recent cycles, both parties have ramped up efforts to purge third-party candidates from the ballot, with Democrats aiming to declare Green Party candidates ineligible. Polling this summer has suggested the margins could be tight in top-of-ballot statewide races in 2022, including those for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general.
Among the Republicans signing onto the lawsuit, filed earlier this month, are Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and congressional candidate Monica de la Cruz, who is running for a key battleground seat that runs from McAllen to the San Antonio area.
Their petition takes aim at 23 Libertarians who, they say, ran afoul of a 2019 state law that requires third-party candidates to pay the same filing fee as Republicans and Democrats or, as an alternative, collect the same number of petition signatures to secure a spot on the ballot. The lawsuit comes ahead of the Aug. 26 deadline to remove a candidate from this year’s midterm ballot — a deadline Republicans missed in 2020 when they unsuccessfully sought to knock off 44 Libertarian candidates.
The court’s decision could have major implications if any of the 23 races this year are decided by a narrow margin. Libertarians are thought to pose a threat to Republican candidates in tight races, possibly siphoning off just enough votes to sway a close outcome.
As Texas has grown increasingly competitive in recent cycles, both parties have ramped up efforts to purge third-party candidates from the ballot, with Democrats aiming to declare Green Party candidates ineligible. Polling this summer has suggested the margins could be tight in top-of-ballot statewide races in 2022, including those for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general.