A ruling by a federal judge has upheld the decision allowing Florida Democrats not to hold a presidential primary in March, which would effectively bar candidates like Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., from appearing on the state's ballot, The Hill reported.
The lawsuit, filed by Michael Steinberg, a former congressional candidate and Tampa Bay attorney, challenged the state party's decision, arguing for the inclusion of challengers to President Joe Biden, such as Phillips, author Marianne Williamson, commentator Cenk Uygur, and independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor on Friday denied the request for a preliminary injunction, stating that the argument presented by Steinberg lacked sufficient merit. Steinberg expressed intent to escalate the matter to the Supreme Court.
The attorney told Politico, "It's an issue that could be subject to repetition in 2028, and you could have the issue come up again. This is more of a matter of principle of saying that Democrats should be democratic."
Florida's situation mirrors Biden's opponents' challenges in other states as they strive to secure a place on the ballot. And Phillips' campaign has been particularly vocal, accusing the Florida Democratic Party of denying Floridians the right to a choice.
"The Florida Democratic Party," Phillips' campaign alleged, "has stripped the right of every Florida Democrat to vote for the candidate of their choice since the state will not issue a ballot for a party primary with only one candidate."
The campaign is considering legal action, including a challenge to the legitimacy of Florida delegates at the national convention.
Phillips, who announced his presidential bid in October, has been polling in the single digits.
"The intentional disenfranchisement of voters," he said, "runs counter to everything for which our Democratic Party and country stand. Our mission as Democrats is to defeat authoritarians, not become them.
"That's why I call on President Biden and Americans of all political affiliations to condemn and immediately address this blatant act of electoral corruption."
Nick Koutsobinas ✉
Nick Koutsobinas, a Newsmax writer, has years of news reporting experience. A graduate from Missouri State University’s philosophy program, he focuses on exposing corruption and censorship.
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