Question: Under Texas law, can Debra Medina run in the general election if she loses the primary?
Submitted by WCU4Paul on Thu, 01/21/2010 - 20:13I'm wondering if someone can answer this. In the event that Medina does well in the primary (think 30%, or even making a hypothetical run-off), but does not win the Republican nomination, is she legally precluded from running in the general election as an independent or third-party candidate?
I'm not asking about what the law SHOULD be (I think most of us would agree that any law barring such a run would be abhorrent), but what it is.
Doesn't matter... Debra will get into the runoff and win.
If she doesn't take the election outright.
People are so mad here in Texas that Debra will win on the protest vote.
Our focus is to get Debra into the runoff.
The underdog usually wins the runoff election in Texas.
Go Debra, GO!
"Religious people fear hell...
...Spiritual people (including our Savior) have lived it." -my friend
Leave Us Alone and Bring the Troops Home
Um...
I admire your energy and optimism, but it's precisely that kind of attitude -- blind optimism without a backup plan -- that leads to failure.
It's what gave us a fractured movement after the GOP convention, with no real heir apparent to Ron Paul and people split between staying at home, writing in Ron Paul, voting for Barr/Baldwin/Nader/McCain/etc.
I say fight like hell for Medina. She's Plan A. If Texas had fair laws that allowed her to run as an independent, use that as a backup plan. Seeing as how that's not going to happen (failing a court fight), there should be a backup plan.
Has anyone talked about the possibility of getting Kinky Friedman to run as an independent? Are his views palatable to the bulk of Medina voters?
Protections for anonymous speech are vital to democratic discourse. Allowing dissenters to shield their identities frees them to express critical, minority views...Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority. - SCotUS, 1995
In short NO!
In short NO!
Texas has a "sore loser" law
Funny, Texans can run for two offices at the same time, but those cheated in a primary can't run in the general election.
Debra's handing this campaign very well. However, expect the "bad guys" to use every trick in the book to break her momentum. I'm fearing the worst at the next debate, and I wish the campaign would coordinate with third parties to let Belo Corporation know there will be the devil to pay if they
play dirty pool at the January 29th debate.
What about Medina as a write-in?
could show the establishment they are in trouble.
Thanks for your answer
I've long despised "sore loser" laws, on several levels.
I wonder if there's any constitutional opening to sue over them.
Protections for anonymous speech are vital to democratic discourse. Allowing dissenters to shield their identities frees them to express critical, minority views...Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority. - SCotUS, 1995
Bob went into further detail
Bob went into further detail and is correct!