Ballot Shenanigans

Politics make strange allies. Here are a couple of stories involving candidates from one party trying to help candidates from another. First, from Pennsylvania, incumbent Republican Rick Santorum is aiding the candidacy of a Green party candidate (from Political Diary):

Senator Rick Santorum isn't usually known as a friend of liberal environmentalists, as proven by his zero rating from the League of Conservation Voters. But the Pennsylvania Republican has become the chief ally of a Green Party candidate who this week will file over 67,000 signatures in an effort to win a place on this November's ballot. Santorum allies hope that Carl Romanelli, a former family-court official, will siphon votes away from Democrat Bob Casey, who makes some Democrats uneasy over his pro-life and pro-hunting views.

Democrats are crying foul over the tactic, with some telling the Associated Press that Mr. Santorum is trying to "steal the election." Mr. Romanelli did tell reporters on Monday that GOP contributors probably supplied most of the $100,000 he spent in complying with Pennsylvania's onerous ballot access laws. At least $29,000 came from individuals who had previously contributed to Mr. Santorum's campaigns. "I have friends in all political parties," Mr. Romanelli says. "It's just that my Republican friends are more confident about standing with me than my Democratic friends." A Green Party official also noted that no one seemed to complain in 1994 when a few Democrats were seen aiding a Constitution Party candidate for governor who drew 13% of the vote.

As for Mr. Santorum, he says his support for Mr. Romanelli appearing on the ballot is out in the open. Mr. Santorum said he hopes Mr. Romanelli makes it a three-way race. "This is politics," he told reporters on Monday. "It's no surprise when you're an incumbent, it helps to have more people on the ballot."

I'm not sure I approve of funneling campaign money to a guy whose views are diametrically opposed to mine, but I can understand that Santorum is in a tough race and this could help him win. Remember, if it hadn't been for Ross Perot, there might never have been a President Clinton.

Before some self-righteous Dems start screaming, their party has some explaining to do as well in the Senate race in Vermont (from The Boston Globe):

Vermont's Democratic Party is maneuvering to keep the Democratic candidates for the state's open US Senate seat off the November ballot, as party leaders seek to clear the way for independent Representative Bernard Sanders in his bid for the Senate.

State Democratic leaders are spearheading efforts to gather signatures to put Sanders on the ballot as a Democrat, even though Sanders has repeatedly said he would turn down the party's nomination if he wins the primary. At least three other candidates have announced their intention to run for the Democratic nomination in the Sept. 12 primary, but party leaders prefer Sanders to any of them.

Ian Carleton, the chairman of the Vermont Democratic Party, said the party's efforts to secure the nomination for Sanders is a concession to political reality: Polls indicate that Sanders is so popular in Vermont that no Democrat has a real chance of beating him.

Although referred to as an "independent" throughout the article, Bernie Sanders is in fact a socialist; always has been and proudly so. He has consistently voted with the Dems (imagine that) but won't join their party. So the Vermont Democratic Party would rather elect a socialist than a member of their own party. Interesting.