According to this story, Jim Jenkins will not be an independent candidate for U.S. Senate this year from Nebraska. In 2011 the legislature passed a bill making it impossible for anyone to be an independent candidate (other than for President or Vice-President) who has been a member of a qualified party during the preceding year. When Jenkins realized this, he then planned to create a new ballot-qualified party and be the nominee of that party for U.S. Senate. However, now he says he has not raised enough money to make his campaign viable.
The publicity about Jenkins’ candidacy has been useful, though. A bill is pending to repeal the 2011 restriction. That bill is HB 1070 and it has already had a hearing in the Senate Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.
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Does that mean that Mr. Jenkins will re-consider his decision and run again as an independent should the bill pass?
I don’t think the bill would take effect in time. Anyway, he says the real barrier to his candidacy is that he doesn’t have enough money for a strong campaign.