Sanders’ attorney, Andru Volinsky, said the Vermont senator filed his federal paperwork as a Democratic candidate, noting he is supported by the Democratic National Committee as well as the Democratic parties in New Hampshire and Vermont.
Advertisement
Donald Trump’s challenge came from a well-known member of his own party in New Hampshire, former state Republican Party Chair Fergus Cullen.
It’s official: Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, Ted Cruz, and Marco Rubio will all be on the all-important New Hampshire primary ballot early next year. Commission Chairman Bradford Cook said all decisions were unanimous. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on the Democratic primary ballot and Sens. He said Sanders’ self-identification as an Independent on the U.S. Senate’s website makes him ineligible to declare himself a Democrat in New Hampshire. He has said he does not hold those views today.
New Hampshire state law says candidates for president need to do a few things to get on the primary ballot: One is pay a $1,000 fee. He argued Trump’s political views are out of sync with the GOP.
“He is just using the Republican Party for as long as it suits his needs”, Cullen said after the hearing. “He is a unsafe demagogue”.
Cullen recently hosted Trump rival John Kasich at a house party in New Hampshire, and the super PAC supporting the OH governor, New Day for America, sent out a statement voicing support for Cullen’s actions Monday night.
Cullen’s challenge was quickly dismissed, however, as Cook noted that Trump is a registered Republican in the state of NY.
“Cullen’s letter cites no statute, precedent, or other legal authority…instead, merely contains irrelevant ad hominem political attacks”, wrote the Trump campaign’s lawyer Donald F. McGahn II.
“This commission is not the forum for speeches or electioneering or advancing any other candidate”, he said, according to DiStaso.
Christopher Booth of Concord and Cameron Elliott of Pennsylvania filed challenges against Ted Cruz, alleging that Cruz is not qualified to appear on the primary ballot since they don’t believe he is a “natural-born citizen” as the Constitution requires a president to be.
The second alleged that Cruz and Rubio didn’t have at least one parent who was a USA citizen.
The state’s Ballot Law Commission unanimously supported Sanders’ eligibility on Tuesday following a challenge based on his longtime status as an Independent.
Advertisement
Brad Cook, chairman of the Ballot Law Commission, asked several questions about why Sanders had nott changed his Senate registration to Democratic.
