Bandit73 the independent

[Bandit3 the Worker]

I have been a self-described independent since 1996, when I was 22, because of the Clinton regime's charge to the right which mimicked the militant Republican Congress of the time.

In college I was a member of the Northern Kentucky Young Democrats, before quitting the Democratic Party.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

In Kentucky you're not allowed to register as anything other than a Republican or a Democrat, unless you want to be disqualified from voting in the primary. No parties other than Democrat and Republican are legal in Kentucky.

It's a bit like how on the news they're always talking about some foreign country legalizing opposition parties.

Independent and third party candidates can appear on the ballot, but it's extremely difficult to qualify, and they're not allowed to have a primary.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

The funniest thing almost happened in 1999. The Reform candidate for governor almost came in second place, ahead of the Republican. If that had happened, then the Republicans would have lost their party status in Kentucky, and the two major parties would have been Democrat and Reform.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

that is an absurd! next thing is one party only!!!

The Democrats have gone so far to the right on economics that it's almost a one-party system anyway.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

I'm sure some other states have the same rule.

I know in Florida it's pretty hard for even the Democrats to get on the ballot these days. In recent years there's been a ton of U.S. House "elections" that didn't even have a Democratic candidate.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

I think in 2002 there was a U.S. House "election" in Kentucky that didn't even have a Democrat on the ballot.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

maybe because it wasa soild republican district and the democrats didn't want to waste there time or money there.

The district has twice as many Democrats as Republicans.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

That would be CD-6? Currently represented by Ben Chandler (D-KY)?

I believe so. But in 2002, Ernie Fletcher had no Democrat running against him.

KY-5 isn't having a Dem this year, BTW

That's simply unacceptable.

That district includes heavily Democratic coal counties, and they need to find a candidate real quick - or the Republican should do the right thing and drop out of the race. That way, the seat will become vacant after this November, which would force a special election.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

The Dems didn't run a candidate against Fletcher in 2002... although Galbraith did again.

For not being in a major party, Galbraith did surprisingly well. Fletcher was so unpopular that I think Galbraith would have won if he had been the Democratic candidate.

Of course the "liberal" newspaper in Lexington endorsed Fletcher, using the excuse that third party candidates were "loose cannons".