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Schneller says he’ll be on the ballot in the 7th
The competitive 7th District House race could very well end up being a three-man contest.
Jim Schneller, the self-identified Tea Party candidate who is running as an independent, said this week that he has collected enough signatures to get on the ballot. Pennsylvania election law makes it very difficult to gain ballot access as an independent or third-party candidate. Schneller needs about 4,200 signatures, equal to two percent of the total votes that incumbent Congressman Joe Sestak (D-7) received in 2008. With the Aug. 2 deadline to file nominating petitions looming, Schneller says he’s gathered about 5,200 signatures.
“I’m building a lot of momentum,” Schneller told pa2010.com. “We think we’ve got a sufficient buffer to overcome any feasible challenge. The quality of our petitions is way above par.”
Whether Schneller will ultimately see his name on the general election ballot remains to be seen. Political operatives typically prefer to gather twice the number of signatures required to head off a ballot challenge, and in such a competitive race, a challenge is not unlikely. The race has already been full of petition-related conflict, with the Democratic candidate bringing ballot challenges against both his primary opponents and the sole Republican candidate.
Schneller said “we will fight” any challenge.
“We have the real McCoy,” Schneller said. “We haven’t done any kind of fudging and we’ve put together a set of about 125 petitions that show registered voters in the proper district.”
Schneller has raised about $8,000 to date, and finished June with about $7,000 in the bank, according to campaign finance data. He would seem to have little realistic chance of prevailing in November, with far less money, name recognition or political organization than both Democrat Bryan Lentz and Republican Pat Meehan. But in the state’s most competitive House race, he could play a key spoiler role, drawing conservative votes away from Meehan, who is still seen by most political insiders as the favorite.
But Schneller doesn’t see himself as a spoiler.
“There’s a great groundswell for some real change,” he said. “We know that victory is within our sights.”
July 27, 2010 at 10:22 am
Tags: Bryan Lentz, Jim Schneller, PA-7, Pat Meehan
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Bruce Bailey
Jul 27th, 2010
It will be fascinating to see what 7th District Repubs say about Schneller’s petitions after the whining they did when Meehan’s petitions were challenged in the Spring. I love the smell of hypocrisy in the morning!
julia
Jul 27th, 2010
there is no doubt that Delco R’s will challenge this
Rick
Jul 27th, 2010
Jim, stay strong. The Delco Machine will offer you a job at the Courthouse to get you out of the race(if they haven’t already) and then will try to intimidate you. Look what they did to Steve Welsh who not only got out of the race but sold his house as well in the 7th. Stand up to these thugs and get more signatures before next week.
Jimbo for Delco
Jul 27th, 2010
Jim,
Stay strong my fellow patriot. Never fear the Republican Machine in Delaware County, they are weak, and running scared that you will expose the true conservative in the race. Their fear tactics don’t work on true patriots like you.
Let them try to stop you, have no fear, Jim: The whole while a great wind will bear you across the sky.
Transplant
Jul 27th, 2010
Good news for Bryan Lentz.
Byron Lentz
Jul 27th, 2010
Dear staffers commenting above,
Thank you for encouraging this lunatic’s pointless attempt to siphon votes away from Mr. Meehan. We can only hope that this birthe-truther nutjob remains strong enough to clear the way for my ultimate ascendancy into Congress. I look forward to working with you at the Schneller Petition Signing Party at Byron for Congress tomorrow at 10am.
Best Regards,
Byron Lentz
sick of it all
Jul 27th, 2010
meehan loses no matter what…he an empty shirt
LentzheartsPelosi
Jul 28th, 2010
Kudos Jim Schneller. Not only are you encouraging the disapproval of the tea party but you are indirectly aiding the democrats and helping Nancy Pelosi keep her job. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!?
Stop competing with Meehan for the same end goal: TAKING BACK THE HOUSE FROM NANCY. If you cared about the U.S.A. and the childrens’ future, you would be selflessly working to ensure Meehan’s win in November. Jim- are you an in the closet Democrat? Or are you just that selfish that you see no downside to taking votes from Meehan?
P. O'Neill
Jul 28th, 2010
Bruce, are you smelling that smell from your publicly-owned computer. Not smart to piss off the Chief more than once in a year. But understanding have far you have fallen in a couple of yeras, are you sure that smell is not your own bile gurgling up to the top of your throat? Watch the metadata!
David Diano
Jul 28th, 2010
Gee, what a lot of fuss from the GOP about someone expressing his constitutional rights to free speech and running for office to participate.
The GOP has no problem partnering with the Tea Party and parroting their message to rabid crowds.
I think Meehan should step aside and not interfere with Schneller’s “purer” message.
Dan-
Is there a link to information about how to contact the Schneller campaign for those of us who might want to help him get on the ballot?
Bruce Bailey
Jul 28th, 2010
P.O’Neill –
What in the hell are you talking about? Do you have me confused with somebody else, or what? I’m in Upper Providence, Montco – and believe me, my computer isn’t publicly owned. And the only chief I’ve ever known is my own grandfather, who was a fire chief in Jersey about 50 years ago.
Care to clarify your remarks?
Tony Soprano
Jul 28th, 2010
David Diano -
Why would you want to help him? He’s pro-life, anti-choice and anti-Obama… which of those do you agree with?
David Diano
Jul 29th, 2010
Because he’s has the same policies as Meehan, but is more honest about it. Having him on the ballot will clearly show everyone what the right wing really represents.
So, I support him on the ballot to expose the right wing, because it will help Lentz.
That’s the danger of a machine candidate like Meehan. He’s got the same radical agenda, but can hide behind the Delco GOP machine, without people realizing what he represents.
Matt from UD
Aug 2nd, 2010
Don’t cry my pseudonymous GOP clown friends. Why don’t you just get Paul Summers to forge affidavits saying people didn’t sign for Jim and have McNichol’s wife notarize them? Then Pat can go back to his regularly scheduled campaign mantra of “honk if you hate Pelosi”.
Democracy, it Rocks!