Minnesota Second Congressional District race delayed after death of Legal Marijuana Now candidate

[Jose Garcia]

Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune

The Legal Marijuana Now Party’s candidate in the race for the Second Congressional District has died, prompting a special election in February.

Adam Charles Weeks died earlier this week, said Kevin O’Connor, the party’s candidate for U.S. Senate. “It’s a sad and sudden thing. We are pretty much taken aback,” he said.

Weeks was facing off with Democratic U.S. Rep. Angie Craig and Republican candidate Tyler Kistner to represent the district. That election will now be postponed.

“The law is clear on what happens next,” Secretary of State Steve Simon said in a statement Thursday. “If a major party nominee dies within 79 days of Election Day; a special election will be held for that office on the second Tuesday of February (February 9, 2021).”

Read more: https://www.startribune.com/second-congressional-district-race-delayed-after-death-of-legal-marijuana-now-candidate/572523221/

[RandySF]

1. Why????

I wouldn’t call it a major party.

[jorgevlorgan]

2. Probably just a state law or something

It doesn't appear the most consequential seat at this point.

[progree]

3. There are two, TWO legal marijuana parties that have achieved major party status in MN

by crossing the 5% threshold in 2018

How marijuana legalization party candidates could decide control of the Minnesota Senate, Minnpost, 8/21/20

... Once the two marijuana parties achieved major party status in 2018 — by dint of Legal Marijuana Now candidate Michael Ford getting 5.28 percent of the vote in the State Auditor race and Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis candidate Noah M. Johnson getting 5.71 percent of the vote in the Attorney General’s race — they no longer need go to the trouble of gathering petition signatures to get on the ballot.

... At the same time, however, the new designation meant they lost control over who can run under their banner. That has led to what a founder of the legalization movement in Minnesota termed “Republican trolls” using the party banners to file as candidates. “I’m annoyed,” said Oliver Steinberg, who founded Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis in 1968 and is the party’s nominee for U.S. Senate.

More: https://www.minnpost.com/state-government/2020/08/how-marijuana-legalization-party-candidates-could-decide-control-of-the-minnesota-senate/

My own state senator (long-time incumbent Ann Rest (D), SD-45) is in a 3 way race with one of these bozos, though he (Andy Schuler, this time running under the Legal Marijuana Now banner) is more of the delusional whoozy-brained ring-a-ding-dong Green Party types than a Republican troll, but same effect, and who knows who is financing his campaign - although happily I haven't seen any literature or yard signs for him yet.

From the article, though, it doesn't sound like her seat is considered at risk, but there are some state Senate seats that are (the linked article talks about those), and the Repukes control the Senate 35-32. (The Dems have the House by a large majority, as well as Governor Walz (D) )