Theresa Greenfield. (campaign photo)
Party leaders in the third congressional district have narrowly voted to place the name of a fellow Democrat on the ballot, even though Theresa Greenfield failed to collect the number of petition signatures necessary to qualify for June’s Democratic Primary.
Greenfield and a group she called “team democracy” fanned out through the district to collect a second set of petition signatures after her campaign manager admitted he forged some signatures on her first set of petitions. The last-minute effort, though, failed to produce enough signatures. Greenfield has been forced to seek another path onto the primary ballot.
Bill Brauch is chairman of the 88 third district Democrats who voted on the matter today. He doesn’t expect his group’s decision to be challenged in court.
“I’m not anticipating any lawsuit, but one never knows,” Brauch told Radio Iowa.
Brauch says there was half-an-hour of “respectful” discussion about the ramifications of nominating Greenfield in this unusual way. Some argued the move gives ammunition to Republicans, including Congressman David Young — the Republican seeking reelection in the district. Others said today’s vote was just a preliminary action and the final decision rests with three state officials who’ll meet tomorrow. Iowa’s secretary of state, attorney general and state auditor are the three members of the appeal board that decide whether Greenfield’s name appears on the Primary ballot.
That decision, whatever it may be, could be challenged in court.