In every state there is a different process to get on the ballot. TN may be the easiest, 25 signatures does the job. In VA there are several ways. The first way is to get your paperwork done by April 6th so you can run in the primary.
The second way to get on the ballot, if there is no primary in your district, is to step up during a window. This year the window is from April 6th- June 20th.
The Democratic committees in the county do a “call to caucus”, sort of a “Hey, everyone, who wants to run?” The call to caucus lasts a week or so. Every county is different; in every instance so far, they have asked for a range from $0 to $250, sometimes refundable, no signatures required.
Well, except for one, Jasmine Lipscomb. She stepped up to run during the call to caucus and was told by her county district committee that she needed to pay a nonrefundable $500 and gather 100 signatures. WTF?!?!
Now, according to the rules of the Party Plan of the Democratic Party of Virginia:
If no one is chosen by the local committee party caucus anyone who is a Democrat can step up to run. The committee then names by acclamation. (me, paraphrasing rule 10.6)
Jasmine Lipscomb stepped up to run, during the call to caucus, but didn’t have the $500.
I’m not sure what the committee's problem is. They have a choice let this “imperfect candidate” (in their eyes I guess) run, OR, let the Republican candidate win without an opponent. Let him skate through while spending his war chest in other districts helping other Republicans win.
Our own Brainwrap has this district as R+6, possibly winnable by a Democrat. He’s working hard to help Dems win in VA.
David Pepper (MSNBC) has a copy of the letter (above) that the VA5 Democratic Chair, Patricia Harper-Tunely, wrote to Jasmine Lipscomb.
Below is Jasmine’s response:
From: Jasmine Lipscomb
Date: Thu, Jun 1, 2023, 5:12 PM
Subject: Jasmine D. "Wisdom" Lipscomb - HD-49
Aloha All,
Just a quick note to all those who may be concerned regarding my HD 49 candidacy. As occurred in HD 100 and HD 40, I am now the beneficiary of an angel donor, Air Force Master Sergeant (ret.) Daphne Portis, who has given me $500 for my filing fee. The $200 filing fee in HD 100 and the $250 filing fee in HD 40 were likewise paid by angel donors; however, there was no requirement for signatures in either of those districts.
The great news is that a group called Rural Ground Game and their Chairperson Lynlee Thorne have generously volunteered to come down to Danville, VA to collect the 100 signatures required by the HD 49 nominating committee.
I have heard from others that the reason I was denied nomination by the HD 49 nominating committee is that I did not submit the $500 filing fee and the 100 signatures. Having read Section 10.6 of the Virginia Democratic Party Plan prior to the calling of the caucus and understanding that at the time of the calling of the caucus I did not have the $500 to pay the filing fee, I did not collect the 100 signatures. The caucus failed to nominate a candidate by the caucus methodology, because I was the only candidate to step forward who wanted to run as a Democratic candidate; something I still wish to do.
My reading of Section 10.6 of the Democratic Party Plan led me to believe that the only person to step forward to run as a Democrat would be named the HD 49 nominee by acclamation at that time.
During the time of my call to caucus, I learned that other locality nominating committees were having their calls to caucus. The candidate filing stipulations for these nominating committees varied drastically. In some, no filing fee was required at all; in others, a very minimal ($50) refundable filing fee was required. In other committees, a $200 refundable filing fee was required; however, signatures were not required in any of these calls to caucus.
I am trying to offer the voters of HD 49 a Democratic choice on their ballots. They are already being offered a Democratic choice on their Senate ballot, Air Force veteran Trudy Berry in SD 9. Both Trudy and I, female military veterans, understand that we are running in Republican districts. We understand well the uphill nature of this endeavor having served in the Air Force and Marine Corps as females. Neither of us is scared of this challenge; we are doing the work of Democratic party building in our regions. My main goal is to make sure that Danny Marshall has to run in a General Election. This will no doubt benefit the 2024 campaigns of Senator Tim Kaine and President Joe Biden in their reelection efforts. As well, our efforts will benefit the 2025 Democratic gubernatorial nominee.
I remain ready to run and represent Democrats on the HD 49 ballot.
Semper Fi,
Jasmine Lipscomb
Sgt, USMC, Veteran
Virginia Democrats have a chance to put a Democratic candidate on the ballot or give the seat away to a Republican. How is this even a question?
