Bernie Sanders might not be eligible to run in the New Hampshire Democratic primary

 With Bernie Sanders enjoying a surge in popularity among Democratic voters his candidacy might have hit a snag in New Hampshire. It is now being questioned whether or not he will be eligible to run in the State’s Democratic primary because he is not a Democrat but rather an Independent.

  In New Hampshire you actually have to be a member of the party for which you seek the nomination and Bernie Sanders is not a Democrat–a little fact he is very proud of, at least up until now…

  Here is more:

From his run for mayor of Burlington to numerous campaigns for Congress, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has for more than three decades eschewed traditional party labels in his pursuit of political office, winning election after election as an independent.

As he seeks the presidency as a Democrat, that unwillingness to be pigeonholed could be a liability in New Hampshire. To get on the ballot in the first-in-the-nation primary state, candidates must fill out paperwork that requires them to identify as a registered member of a political party.

“I don’t know if it will be a problem,” New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner said when asked whether Sanders’ independent status could keep him off the ballot.

Former Republican U.S. Rep. Charlie Bass raised the issue of Sanders’ eligibility in a recent Washington Post opinion piece.

“In short, Sanders is not a Democrat, has not been elected as a Democrat, has never served as a Democrat and cannot plausibly claim, at least in New Hampshire, to be a Democrat,” Bass wrote.

It is true that Bernie Sanders twice ran in the Vermont Democratic primary but after winning he rejected the nomination to run as an Independent. Will this be enough to get him on the primary ballot in New Hampshire or will the State Ballot Commission see this as proof that he never truly identified himself as a Democrat? 

  That will be very interesting to see but the commission will not even look at the issue unless a complaint is filed so the question is; will somebody file a complaint? While a Republican first brought this issue to light I find it hard to believe the Republicans will file a complaint because they would love to see Hillary Clinton have to fight it out in a primary. (Unless they get scared by his current popularity and move to help ensure a socialist does not get elected.)

  But now that we mentioned the former Secretary of State: is it possible that either she or somebody working on her campaign could file a complaint in the hopes of stopping Bernie Sanders out of fear? I would not put is passed her campaign to look at the option of silencing a potential rival and in fact I would expect it.

  Personally I believe this is going to work itself out and Bernie Sanders will be allowed in the primary but it bears watching to see if Hillary Clinton does indeed get that desperate.

Malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium