Zandstra may not make US Senate primary ballot

This is why the MDP wants us to sign and circulate nominating petitions each election year.

Grand Rapids-area minister Jerry Zandstra's campaign for the Republican nomination has apparently hit a snag, according to his hometown paper, The Grand Rapids Press.

In order to appear on the ballot, Zandstra needed to obtain 15,000 signatures. The Secretary of State’s office said of the signatures Zandstra turned in, only 14,922 were valid, leaving him just 78 shy of the ballot.

But that’s where it gets interesting.

Zandstra, however, alleges about 400 signatures have been misplaced by staffers
in Terri Lynn Land's office. He maintains his campaign turned in 15,710
signatures and only 15,317 were reviewed.

Now let's add some GOP infighting to the mix.

Zandstra said he believes Land's office acted appropriately, but questioned
whether state GOP leaders, including Chairman Saul Anuzis, played a role in his
disqualification.

"It's clear the chairman of my own party wants us to go out, to go away," he said. "The party has decided to become distinctly overt in their drive to get rid of me."

...

"That's unequivocally false, and we have nothing to do with Jerry Zandstra being out of the race," Anderson said. "Saul had nothing to do with this, and the fact is that (Zandstra) did not submit enough signatures.

It will be interesting to see if Zandstra is able to join Michigan's first competitive US Senate primary in ten years.