On August 12, the Kentucky Secretary of State’s office determined that the Libertarian Party U.S. Senate petition in Kentucky has enough valid signatures. This is the first time any unqualified party has completed a U.S. Senate petition in Kentucky since 1978, when the American Party petitioned for U.S. Senate.
The Reform Party had a U.S. Senate nominee in 1998, another midterm year, but the Reform Party didn’t need to complete a petition for that race, because it had polled over 2% of the vote for President in 1996, so was automatically on the ballot for all partisan office in 1998, 1999 and 2000.
This is excellent news. I would not mind seeing the GOP retake control of the US Senate (just for the sake of gridlock) but it would be wonderful indeed if McConnell was not there to lead them.