Republicans allied with the state GOP filed a slate of ballot challenges against third-party candidates for statewide office Monday, as the party looked to avoid a splinter of conservative votes in the fall.
Challenges from the same group of plaintiffs were filed against Libertarian candidates for senate, governor and lieutenant governor. A separate group of plaintiffs challenged John Krupa, the self-identified Tea Party candidate for governor.
A state party spokesman couldn’t immediately be reached for comment late Monday afternoon. But plaintiffs in the challenges confirmed they were filed on behalf of the state party. The Libertarian candidates being challenged are Senate hopeful Douglas Jamison, gubernatorial nominee Marakay Rogers and lieutenant governor candidate Kat Valleley.
State GOP spokesman Michael Barley told PoliticsPA that party officials helped the plaintiffs with research.
“We can’t tell anybody to do anything, especially when it comes to a legal challenge,” Barley said. “But were we helpful? Absolutely, and we’ll continue to be helpful.”