Eric Weissmann, a GOP candidate for the 2nd Congressional District has made the primary ballot. He had previously been kept off the ballot after the Secretary of State's office rejected enough of his petition signatures over technical issues — 1000 are required — but Weissmann asked the court to review the petitions.
A Denver District Court judge today ruled that Weissmann had enough valid signatures, he turned in over 1,400, to be placed on the primary ballot.
Despite Democrats' claims that they support ballot access, the Colorado Democrat Party tried to intervene in the court case, asking the court to deny Weissmann access to the ballot. They did so through a lawyer at the firm of the Democrats' top legal henchman, Mark Grueskin. (Read their legal brief here)
With Weissmann making the ballot, that's an embarrassment to the dirty tricks of Democrats and a blow to their beloved incumbent Congressman Jared Polis, who has been reeling from accusations by investigative reporter Peter Schweizer that he engaged in insider trading in Congress. As Weissmann has the means to fund a devastating ad assault on Polis's record of corruption, Democrats were keen to ensure Weissmann never made it to the general election.
"Having failed in a court of law, Polis will now have to defend his bad votes, failed policies, and ethical shortcomings in the court of voter opinion," Weissmann said in a press release.
Weissmann's ticket to the general is far from certain, as he faces conservative State Senator Kevin Lundberg (R-Berthoud) in a primary. It is expected that Lundberg will be a tough opponent to beat.
But, for now, Weissmann's bid is back on track. And Colorado Democrats are left looking petty and ineffective.
Weissmann making the ballot does not mean “Polis loses” any more than Lundberg being the only candidate. For the record, I am glad that he made the ballot because in general I think that winning by keeping your opponent off the ballot is cheap. However, Peak politics is unduly biased toward the establishment backed (Philps), big money candidate. Better to go with the candidate who has genuine grassroots and volunteer support, i.e. Lundberg.
I see nothing in the original complaint to support the assertion that the Dems are running counter to their stated support of ballot access – the thing that the GOP actively opposes.
Y’all wouldn’t have pulled that out of your ass, would you? You know, simply to have something to use as an excuse to keep repeating the meritless hit pieces?
Suing to stop someone from getting on a ballot is suing to stop ballot access.
If Peak can claim to know the reason without proof, hell, so can you. It’s only my job to point out that the emperor has no clothes.
All I see here is a desire to ensure that people who don’t qualify don’t get on the ballot anyway. Rules matter – until they can be used to mask a hit job.