Greens on Iowa Presidential Ballot

As expected, the petitions have arrived in the mail, and Green nominee Jill Stein is on the candidate list to top the list on the penultimate day of filing.

Also filing today: Scott Batcher, who won about 1 percent in the 2010 3rd CD GOP primary, is back on the ballot, this time as an independent. So now David Rosenfeld of the Socialist Workers will have to share the anti-incumbent vote in the Boswell-Latham matchup.

In the day's other filing, Carolyn Grimes of Clinton is a square dancer, library trustee and ex-Republican, and she's running as an independent in House District 98 against freshman Democrat Mary Wolfe.

A correction; the Secretary of State did post a list late Wednesday or early today with a couple fresh names who filed yesterday:

The 2010 Libertarian nominee for governor, Eric Cooper, is the first of his party on the ballot this cycle, making another run for the House in Ames-based District 45. Cooper ran for the House twice before, in the Lisa Heddens district. In 2006 he won 3% in a three way contest; in 2008 he was Heddens' only opponent and pulled 21%. This time redistricting means he faces the other Ames Democratic incumbent, Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, along with Republican Dane Nealson.

This Is Where Your District Went (House 37 for you n00bs) will not go uncontested, but it won't be fought by one of the five failed Republican candidates. N. John Boehm (Some Dude-Ankeny) will run as an independent against John Landon, who finished third in the primary with just 15%, but won the convention that was required after no one got 35%.


Also spotted today, but not filed: Some Dude was collecting signatures today for Some Dude named Alan Aversa in the 2nd CD here in Iowa City. The petition listed "Pima County Arizona" as Aversa's address. So I asked the guy "How can he run from Iowa if he's from Arizona?"

"None of your business." Odd response for a fellow trying to win folks over, but so be it.

"Um..." I was persistent. "Doesn't the Constitution say you have to reside in the state?"

"He's going to establish residency before the election."

"Oo-kay..."

A little googling later it turns out Mr. Aversa is also running as a write in for the Arizona legislature in a primary later this month. He's a U of AZ student, anti choice and anti gay. The bar is pretty low for a congressional race - 300 names - but that Arizona address could prove problematic. Perhaps he should go get some signatures at the Fibbin' Fisherman.