Former state GOP chairman tries, fails to kick Trump off N.H. ballot
Donald Trump supporters can exhale: their man will be on the ballot in New Hampshire’s Feb. 9 presidential primary.
Not that Trump supporters were holding their breath. A challenge by former state Republican chairman Fergus Cullen to Trump’s eligibility was quickly thrown out Tuesday by the New Hampshire Ballot Commission.
Cullen had filed a complaint Monday arguing Trump was ineligible to be on the Republican ballot because his views are inconsistent with the Republican party platform. The complaint, filed on behalf of GOP presidential candidate John Kasich’s super PAC, A New Day for America, claimed the real estate mogul had previously supported Democrats and therefore should not be allowed on the Republican ballot.
“Why are we here?’’ commission chairman Brad Cook asked Cullen, citing Trump’s registration as a Republican in New York, according to WMUR reporter John DiStaso,
“This isn’t about whether we like Donald Trump,’’ Cook said. “If ‘Republican enough’ is what this commission had to do, heaven forbid, we’d be here all day.’’
Cook then chastised Cullen, who was the state’s GOP chairman from 2007 to 2008, about the purposes of the commission.
“This commission is not the forum for speeches or electioneering or advancing any other candidate,’’ he said, according to DiStaso. “If you have any information that he is not in fact a Republican, then share it with us.’’
Cullen did not.
The Trump campaign blasted back Tuesday in a response submitted to the Ballot Commission.
“Cullen’s letter cites no statute, precedent, or other legal authority…instead, merely contains irrelevant ad hominem political attacks,’’ wrote the Trump campaign’s lawyer Donald F. McGahn II.
Trump’s national campaign manager and Granite State resident Corey Lewandowski told WMUR that if his candidate was kept off the ballot, his supporters “would probably riot in the streets of New Hampshire.’’
“Mr. Trump was the first candidate to file, the filing is flawless, and Mr. Trump is leading in all national and state polls,’’ Lewandowski said. “Most importantly, he is leading by 19 points in New Hampshire with 32 percent of the vote.’’
The Ballot Commission also heard challenges Tuesday to the eligibility of presidential candidates Bernie Sanders, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. They all failed.
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