Bernie Sanders’ party affiliation on the New Hampshire primary ballot is being officially challenged.
Sanders, who serves in the U.S. Senate as an independent, filed for the presidential primary as a Democrat last week. But now a New York lawyer, who also filed for president, is putting Sanders' status into question.
Republican Andy Martin says that because Sanders has held office as an independent for decades in both Vermont and in D.C., he shouldn’t be recognized as a Democrat in New Hampshire.
Volinsky, legal counsel to Sanders' campaign, said in a statement that, " The campaign takes seriously both its right to have Senator Sanders appear as a candidate for president on the New Hampshire primary ballot and the rights of New Hampshire’s voters to cast their votes for Bernie Sanders. The Sanders campaign will respond vigorously to the challenge with the support of the New Hampshire, Vermont and National Democratic Parties."
And Mike Vlacich, Hillary Clinton's state director, wrote on social media that, " We prepared for a competitive race from day one - GOP attempts to remove Bernie Sanders from the ballot are wrong and bad for NH's primary."
The State Ballot Law Commission will review Martin's petition later this month. Chair of the Commission, Brad Cook, says he also expects to receive a petition regarding Ted Cruz's status as a naturalized born citizen. Cruz, who filed on Thursday, was born in Canada but has dual citizenship because his mother is an American citizen.
