Big Sky Shenanigans as Tea Party Candidates File as Democrats in State Races

[babylonsister]

Another example of cheating, or whatever works.


http://www.liberalamerica.org/2014/03/15/big-sky-shenanigans-as-tea-party-candidates-file-as-democrats-in-state-races/


Big Sky Shenanigans as Tea Party Candidates File as Democrats in State Races

By Keith Brekhus on March 15, 2014

The Montana Cowgirl blog broke the news earlier this week that a number of tea party individuals have filed as candidates in the Democratic primaries to wrestle control away from real Democrats, and replace them with tea party extremists.

snip//

Conspiratorial right-wing extremism is not unusual in Montana politics, but now the tea party madness is infiltrating and infecting the Democratic primaries. The Montana Cowgirl blog broke the news earlier this week that a number of tea party members have filed as candidates in the Democratic primaries to wrestle control away from real Democrats, and replace them with right-wing extremists. At least nine far right candidates have filed to run in Democratic primaries to defeat real Democrats vying for the party nomination. Their names are David Brownell, Dane Peeples, Laura Springer, Harry Pennington, Terry Caldwell, Kathy Hollenback, Mike Comstock, Michael Comstock, and Gerald Cullivier.

Although the state Republican Party denies involvement in the scheme to run fake Democrats, one of the candidates, Gerald Cullivier, was elected as Vice Chair of the Republican Central Committee in Sanders County in 2011. Another candidate, Mike Comstock, is a Gallatin County Republican who ran as a GOP candidate in 2010. The investigative reporting of the Montana Cowgirl blog and other local sources have uncovered social media posts illustrating that all nine of the candidates listed above support views consistent with extremist tea party ideology. Comstock is a believer in “one world government” conspiracy theories. Peebles and Springer are affiliated with a “Patriot” militia group. Harry Pennington calls for impeaching Barack Obama and prosecuting Hillary Clinton.

Montana is an open primary state. The state Democratic Party has no legal way to prevent fake Democrats from filing to run for seats in the Democratic primaries (except if some of the candidates violated residency or perjury laws in filing their candidacies). However, the party can and should educate voters in the districts where these candidates have decided to run, about who the real Democrat in the race is.

Voters should not yield to cynicism and let the confusion caused by these tea party shenanigans dampen their enthusiasm for supporting real Democratic candidates throughout the state. Voters simply need to take a little time to find out who the candidates are and what they stand for, so that they can cast an informed ballot. Also, if the far right is using this strategy in Montana, it is likely that tea party folks are hatching a similar strategy in other states as well. Voters need to research the primary candidates in their area, and to cast an informed ballot. Doing so can put an end to tea party mischief whenever and wherever it rears its ugly head.

[Cofitachequi]

1. In an open Primary State, the problem is not the candidates, it's the voters....

This is a common tactic where one party is very strong (the GOP in the west, herre in my home of SC), and there are open primaries. You cannot fight this by trying to turn out Democrats to vote for the "real" Democrat on the ticket, because the GOP voters, freed by their superior numbers and safe seats, will turn out to vote in the Dem Primary and flood the dem voters out. In an open primary state you can vote in either the Dem primary or the GOP primary, but not both. The GOP voters, as they have safe GOP candidates running unopposed in primaries, don't have anything to lose by not turning out for their primaries. They are free to abandon their primaries and vote in the Dem.

In order to fight this, it is imperative that the Dems put false candidates to run in ther GOP primary in every race that they place a false candidate in our primary. If we run a "shadow" in every GOP race where they have inserted a false candidate in our, they will be forced to vote in the GOP primary to protect their seats, rather than cross the party line to create mischief in our process.

They are playing smart chess. Let's not get caught playing dumb checkers.

[freshwest]

2. Done in several state already. The Koches are aiming further at state city offices.

[DhhD]

3. This game is perfect for the Koch Brothers to hid in; there is no difference in the

candidates so how could they be infecting politics in the US. Now the brothers can claim that Democrats are to blame for the fascism consuming America just like Obama is being blamed by GOP subversion. Low life scum koch, infecting everywhere.

[dembotoz]

4. saw this a lot in wisconsin during the recalls

primaries require expense and manpower and divert attention from race

now don't get me wrong--i am in all favor of a primary IF it is between 2 or more dems

[mahatmakanejeeves]

5. This smells like something Donny Ferguson is behind.

Google "Donny Ferguson" at DU. You'll see.

[babylonsister]

7. You go first!

[Cha]

6. KICK!