First: The Volk campaign is spinning out of control. The latest release, posted in the comments, says that she's going to circulate petitions for a "Tea Party Line" on the ballot. There are a whole bunch of rules about third parties in New York State. I'm not an expert, but I've never heard of someone making up a new party, petitioning, and getting on the ballot in one year. Volk's ship has sailed - she isn't going to be on any ballot. She can campaign all she wants, but the fact remains that write-in campaigns don't work, and her slim chances of beating Tom Reed became none as soon as she failed to submit the proper number of valid signatures on her Republican nomination petition.
Second: Don't mess with Matt Zeller's mom. On that point, I've always thought that the haters who post nasty comments that try to make people's strengths into weaknesses are probably mostly jealous that they were unable to achieve a fraction of what someone like Zeller has done in his short life. Whatever you think of his politics, he's an impressive individual who's served our country honorably.
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Rottenchester ,
I'm glad you said that you are not an elections expert. However, the Volk Campaign has been working very closely with an Elections expert. An expert that is the Co-Founder of the TEA Party Coalition.
Good for you. So maybe you can tell me how you're going to get a third party line on the ballot. Don't spare any details, I can take it!
I don't think your description of the Volk campaign as "spinning out of control" is inaccurate. Indeed, well-said. The ship HAS sailed, it would seem. It's a shame that there have been so many mis-steps because she clearly has much to offer. Sure, people are tiring of the GOP "bosses" down our way. But without a place on a ballot, which arguably is good for a few thousand votes to begin with, you're just not going anywhere. A write-in campaign would be Amateur Hour, I'm afraid.
Look at the moxie this young person is showing----read some of these quotes. That takes courage, going out so publicly against Reed and Company. Whew!
From today's on-line Hornell "Tribune":
Hornell, N.Y. — Janice Volk announced today that she will circulate petitions for a “Tea Party” line for Congress in the 29th district.
“I want to give the voters a choice,” Volk said, “the same choice that Tom Reed took away from them by challenging my Republican petitions.”
Reed, the endorsed Republican candidate admitted Saturday that his supporters had knocked Volk off the Republican primary ballot using technicalities such as voters listing their village instead of town on the petition.
“All across the country, the Republican machine has been at war with the tea party movement or trying to co-opt it,” Volk said. “It’s time to draw a line in the sand and say, enough! I will do my best to collect the necessary signatures (3500) to put a Tea Party line on the ballot in November and I dare Mr. Reed to try to knock the Tea Party off the ballot.
When asked about why his supporters filed a challenge to Volk’s petitions, Reed said, “The rules are the rules.”
Volk’s reply: “That’s probably what King George said when he heard about the Boston Tea Party. Two can play that game. ‘The rules’ say I can run as the Tea Party candidate and I intend to do so.”
So is Volk suggesting she should be allowed onto the ballot even though she failed to follow the rules for doing so? Reed followed the rules. Zeller followed the rules.
I am a little leary with Volk saying that reed took her off the ballot. Does she think the rules shouldn't apply to her? If she had enough signatures, she would be on the ballot rigtht?. It was only up to her to make sure she had enough. Am i missing something?
No, you're not. The rules are complex but it's pretty common knowledge, and common sense, that you need a good number more signatures than the minimum.
The Volk campaign has nobody to blame but themselves, though they do seem awfully good at blaming others.
thanks rottenchester. I feel more comfortable with the way it all shook out then.
People are jumping on Jan Volk's bandwagon, especially in the Southern Tier. Mrs. Volk just wants to give the people another choice besides a typical Political Machine candidate. Not sure what is so wrong with that. Most people are supporting Mrs. Volk, not knocking her down.
Here is one example:
http://www.canisteovalleynews.com/index.php/Local/local-news/13216.html
Yeah, the write-in bandwagon is picking up steam. It's a Radio Flyer pulled by someone's hound, but it's started to move!
Hahaha--Radio Flyer pulled by a hound. What will make the real difference between fantasy and reality is whether or not they can get that Tea Party BALLOT LINE...
Here is an interesting one for you. It looks like the infighting in the republican party could be good for young Mr. Zeller:
http://www.eveningtribune.com/newsnow/x1652683818/Did-Tom-Reed-really-sa...
Yeah but Volk could pull this out, with Reed and Zeller in second and third place, respectively.
Volk's campaign is being run by Libertarian Party operative Jim Ostrowski. A man whose hypocrisy and contradictions run a mile deep. Ostrowski is serving as Volk's lawyer, so he claims, but instead of challenging the petition invalidations (there were only 22, and at least one of them was the erroneous claim that Gowanda never existed), he's pushing a divisive third-party challenge. He brought up the specter of Doug Hoffman, the guy who ran on the CP line in NY-23... well, he forgot to mention that Doug lost, and it gave away a seat to the Democrats. Jim attacks Republicans more often than he attacks Democrats, if you've ever read his blog. Even when he attacks Democrats (e.g. Brian Higgins), it's with a backhanded insult to the Republican running against him. Volk should not trust this guy. Then again, she could be a mole herself and doing this intentionally. I don't think so, but it's possible.
Puh-lease............Volk seems genuine and earnest. I hope they get those signatures.
I don't question her honesty... but Mr. Ostrowski, on the other hand, is giving this woman bad advice.
Ostrowski is a libertarian, not a "Libertarian Party operative." He always stands against the Democrats---and the Republicans when they run machine candidates like Reed who will maintain little or no principle once in office. I so love people who attack and can't even get the most basic facts correct. And now we get a new conspiracy theory from the Reed campaign: Volk is a mole!
The Reed hate-machine, apparently. That makes him look real good.