It’s not necessarily a long shot for Maes to fall below 10%. Look at what happened in the special election in New York’s 23rd Congressional District last year. Maes’ loss of support has become self-reinforcing and Tancredo is the only candidate with any chance of catching Hickenlooper. I doubt that Tancredo will win, but it’s increasingly possible that the GOP could get minor party status in Colorado. I’d love to see that, but I wonder how long it would take the Legislature to pass a new law letting the GOP off the hook.

It would require Hickenlooper signing it. A foolish move if you ask me

Couldn’t happen to a nicer party ; )

Thanks for the cheerful news : )

If an anti-American party of traitors loses their status as a major party, is that a bad thing?

Anyone know how many other states have a similar law?

Is loss of position on the ballot the only consequence of becoming a minor party?

Too funny.

Got my mail-in ballot this morning. With all the propositions on it, as is usual for Ca, it’s big. There are people on it whom I actually like.

Does that mean Moosechips would have to run as a write-in candidate in the 2012 primary?

It’s scary that between a quarter and a third of every population in the United States are bigoted assholes who would support somebody like Tancredo.

Maybe he will just go away after he loses this time. He’s really despicable person.

Maybe he will just go away after he loses this time

I won’t hold my breath. Tancredo is like Malaria.

Woudn’t go so as far to call them all bigoted assholes. A better label might be low info voters whose brains are only able to process the subliminal messages delivered by bona fide bigoted assholes like Tancredo.

It couldn’t happen to a nice bunch of Neanderthals…go Tancredo! The schadenfreude is quite delicious, thank you!

more like herpes wherein you can only control it but expect the occasional outbreak

and what kind of world is it where I’m rooting for Tom Tancredo ?!?!
as our beloved Christy used to say bwaaaahaaaahaaaaaaa

excellent post Jon Walker

Woudn’t go so as far to call them all bigoted assholes

I would. It’s their fault that they are low info. It’s also their responsibility to know who and what they are voting for. So they are either bigoted assholes or lazy, apathetic ones. Some choice.

It couldn’t happen to a nice bunch of Neanderthals

Stop it. It’s been demonstrated over and over that Neanderthals were caring and compassionate people. Stop insulting people who aren’t around to defend themselves.

Just trying to be generous.

all states have laws about what it takes to be a political party

TBSSSTBT! Or, too bad, so sad, sucks to be them.

I can totally see him falling below 10%. Some voters will be so low-info they won’t know that’s where he’s sitting or will only vote R no matter what; others that have a pulse may see the writing and stay home, or move their vote so as not to feel like they supported a loser. Never underestimate the influence of the voter’s self-image.

This gives us the power to redistrict CO with the new census data the GOP can forget about CO then.

David Dayen has a fresh cross-post available: Krugman Assails Christie for Rail Tunnel Cancellation

Would there even be a Republican primary? Can a non-major party ask the “small government” to finance their internal candidate selection process? I believe only major parties get government financed elections for that process.

Then you’re better than me. :)

This certainly wouldn’t be without precedent. The Whig Party imploded in the 1850s-60s over the issue of slavery, leading to the formation of the Republican Party as an abolitionist coalition. More recent third party success include the 1912 presidential election, where Theodore Roosevelt’s progressive Party caused Republican incumbent William Howard Taft to place third in a three-way race that included Democrat Woodrow Wilson. And H. Ross Perot’s 1992 candidacy for president cost Republican incumbent George H.W. Bush the election. So strong third party showings are not only possible, they are inevitable in a situation in which one or both major parties is so reviled that voters turn away in droves. 2010 and 2012 could very well be the elections in which third parties can win state-level seats on a larger basis.

The minor party status would persist until the next Governor’s election (four years, two cycles), at which time the Republicans would definitely field a competent candidate who would get 10%+. The American Constitution Party will definitely be a major party for the next two cycles, since Tancredo will definitely get 10%+ in this race.

From what I’ve been reading about this the last couple of days, minor party status would have two known effects:

1 – Ballot placement
Major party candidates are clustered at the top of the section/ballot, and there is a lottery to determine who is actually first. Then comes the minor party candidates, with another lottery to determine the order, then finally the independent candidates with a third lottery to determine order.
The 2012 Presidential Election section would look something like:

* Democratic Party – Barack Obama / Alan Grayson (hey, I can dream, can’t I?)
* American Constitution Party – Wingnut #1 / Wingnut #2

Then the minor parties

* American Communist Party A/B
* Prohibition Party A/B
* Green Party A/B
* Republican Party Huckabee / Palin
* Libertarian Party A/B

2 – Fundraising
Major party candidates are given a free ride on primaries. A major party candidate is listed on the state primary ballot even if they are running unopposed, and are able to hit up their donors for contributions for both the primary and the general. Minor party candidates are only listed if there is another candidate and there is an actual primary. Independent candidates by definition do not have a primary challenge.
The example given in the Denver Post was for state congressman, where the limits are $200 each for the primary and the general.
So a Republican incumbent state congressman would only be able to accept $200 for the general and get nothing for the primary, while an unopposed Democrat would be able to accept $400.

Excuse me, but would you mind not insulting Neanderthals? They didn’t have the stratified society we do that allows the luxuries of racial, economic, and other forms of social discrimination.

:^P

That is hilarious. Gives the 3rd party people their first opportunity, I guess. Go Tea Party????

And let’s not forget Wallace’s 1968 campaign. He pulled 9.9 million popular votes and 46 electoral votes. Nixon beat Humphrey by 110 electoral votes, but only by a half-million popular votes.

True…

That means he will probably do it. Hick is not the bluest of Democrats.

You are so right. Most Republicans are reptiles at best.

See, now you’re insulting reptiles.