TL/DR –
Jacob Chansley, also known as the QAnon Shaman, won’t be running for Congress in the coming year as he failed to submit nomination petitions to the Arizona Secretary of State by the April 1 deadline. 261 other state and federal candidates did meet the deadline, setting up several high-profile and competitive primary races. Among those candidates is State Sen. Anthony Kern, who is under investigation for falsely declaring former President Donald Trump as the winner of the 2020 presidential race in Arizona.
QAnon Shaman’s Run for Congress Cancelled
Jacob Chansley, commonly known as the QAnon Shaman, has missed the nomination petition submission deadline for the Arizona Secretary of State, thereby cancelling his plans to run as a Libertarian in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District.
Competitive Primary Races on the Horizon
Despite Chansley’s absence, 261 other state and federal candidates did meet the deadline, setting the stage for a packed July 30 primary ballot featuring several high-profile and competitive primary races. Among them are the Democratic primary in Congressional District 1 and GOP battle for Congressional District 8.
Notable Candidates
State Senator Anthony Kern, R-Glendale, has declared his run for Congress by the filing deadline. Kern, one of the 11 fake electors under investigation for falsely claiming Trump’s win in Arizona, had also filed to run for a state House seat.
Comeback Attempts
The filings reveal several former lawmakers attempting a comeback, including Leezah Sun, a Phoenix Democrat who resigned from the state House of Representatives recently due to a likely expulsion vote for her disruptive behavior. Sun is now seeking a Senate seat in Legislative District 22.
Green Party Candidates
The Green Party, which regained ballot status last year, has two candidates vying to be their party’s U.S. Senate candidate: Arturo Hernandez and Michael Norton.
High-stakes Primary Races
In north Phoenix’s LD2, GOP Senator Shawnna Bolick will face off against MAGA candidate Josh Barnett. The winner of this race could potentially determine control of the state Senate. Other notable GOP primary races include the Prescott incumbent Senator Ken Bennett facing two GOP rivals and GOP Senator Wendy Rogers defending her seat in LD7 against Republican David Cook.
Signature Collection: Online vs In-Person
Many candidates used the state’s online system for collecting voter signatures, with some, like Republican Kari Lake, gathering all signatures for a U.S. Senate seat via the state’s E-Qual program. Most candidates, however, took a hybrid approach, collecting signatures both on paper petitions and online.
The secretary of state will now send the petitions to the appropriate county recorders to verify the signatures. Legal challenges to the petitions might arise as opponents look for errors in the process or for fraudulent signatures.
—
Read More US Media News