GOP Candidates Want Libertarians Kicked Off Ballot

Twenty-three Texas Republicans, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, have asked the Texas Supreme Court to kick their 23 Libertarian challengers off the November ballot. This petition claims the Libertarians ignored a law passed in 2019 that third-party candidates must pay the same filing fee as Democrats or Republicans. SMU political scientist Cal Jillson says the major parties don’t like third parties and independents who could play the role of spoiler. Jillson says the Libertarians don’t want to pay the filing fee or submit a signature petition due to a matter of principle.