(Picture credit District Court of Lancaster County)
District Court Judge Darla Ideus ruled on Wednesday afternoon that both the America First Party and the Nebraska Working People Party are eligible to make the November ballot.
In the case of the America First Party, Ideus said she was not persuaded by the arguments made by the Nebraska Republican Party that Secretary of State Bob Evnen should be able to remove them from the ballot because organizers of the party did not actually believe the principles they claim to hold.
“The statute simply does not address this kind of ‘confusion,” Ideus wrote.
She also dismissed the case against the Working People Party, saying the Nebraska Democratic Party missed the deadline to object to the party making the ballot.
Ideus had previously issued a 10-day restraining order to prevent Secretary of State Bob Evnen from certifying both parties.
Both of the new parties were accused of being “plants” in the U.S. Senate race between Independent Dan Osborn and incumbent Republican Senator Pete Ricketts.
The Republican Party had filed its lawsuit against the America First Party, arguing it was formed in bad faith. The complaint pointed to the party’s organizer, John Cartier, who has a long history of supporting progressive causes.
The Democratic Party likewise argued that the Nebraska Working People Party was trying to “sabotage” the election “by misleading its members and supporters and detracting votes from its preferred candidates.”
Both parties will now look to select candidates for the November ballot. Many political observers expect each party to field candidates in the U.S. Senate race, while Brett Lindstrom, who attempted to make the ballot as an Independent in the governor’s race, said the Nebraska Working People Party asked if he would be the party’s gubernatorial nominee.
This is a breaking news story; check back for updates.
— John Gage is the executive editor of The Plains Sentinel.