Two registered Democrats in Florida are suing to knock Bernie Sanders off the ballot for the Democratic nomination. It is their theory that since Florida has a closed primary, that is to say you have to be registered to vote for the party you aim to vote for, Sanders is not qualified since he is an Independent.
But, each state’s primary or caucus rules are set by state party and since they voted to allow him on the ballot, I don’t see how they could succeed. The Florida Democratic party reps voted unanimously to allow Bernie on the ballot.
Politico reported:
Two Florida Democrats are suing to block Bernie Sanders from running as a Democrat in the state’s March 17 presidential primary.
In the lawsuit filed Monday in circuit court in Leon County, the plaintiffs ask that Sanders be disqualified from the Democratic primary because he’s a declared independent.
The Florida Democratic Party labeled the complaint “ridiculous,” and the Sanders campaign called it “spurious.”
The complaint also seeks to prevent state election officials from counting any votes Sanders has already received. More than 244,000 Democrats have already voted by mail in Florida.
Karen Gievers, a former circuit court judge representing Frank Bach and George Brown, both Tallahassee Democrats, said Sanders should not be allowed on the Democratic ballot.
“Florida is a closed primary state, yet here we have someone who is an independent on the Democratic ballot,” said Gievers. “You can’t be an independent and be a member of the party.”
The executive director of the Florida Democrat party fired back and called the lawsuit “ridiculous.”
“The Florida Democratic Party executive committee voted unanimously to place Senator Sanders on the Florida ballot,” Penalosa said according to Politico. “Votes cast for the senator are valid and must be counted.”
Many Democrats and Independents are panicking because Socialist Bernie Sanders is now officially the front-runner in the Dem 2020 race.
Eight Democrats and independents switched parties today in Mississippi to the Republican Party.
A Bloomberg internal poll claimed Bernie Sanders would drag down vulnerable downballot House Dems.