Many of the faux-Green candidates dropping

From the Arizona Capitol Times -

Less than a day after a federal judge said they had the right to stay on the ballot, three alleged “sham” Green Party candidates withdrew from their races.

 

Christopher Campbell, a Senate candidate in Legislative District 10, Clint Clement, a House candidate in Legislative District 17, and Ryan Blackman, a candidate in the 5th Congressional District, officially withdrew from their races the morning of Sept. 10, according to the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office.

Three other faux-Greens had previously withdrawn (name and office [allegedly] sought):

• Matthew Shusta, LD23 State Senate
• Drew Blischak, LD20 State Representative
• Michelle Lochmann, Arizona Secretary of State

As near as I can tell, that leaves four suspect Green candidates still running - one each for Arizona State Treasurer and LD17 State Senator, and two for Arizona Corporation Commission.  Each has strong ties to one of the primary people behind the scheme, Steve May, a Republican candidate and operative.  In addition, they all share one PO box as a campaign committee address.

Even though the three mentioned in the Cap Times article have withdrawn from the race, the damage could be already done.  From later in the above-linked article -

Ironically, all three could still end up on the ballot. Maricopa County began printing ballots at 7 a.m., before the candidates withdrew. Depending on which district’s ballots were printed first, one or all of them could still be on the ballot, though votes for them in the November general election would not count, said Assistant Secretary of State Jim Drake.

 

“I can’t guarantee that they won’t be on the ballot,” Drake said.

Pardon my cynicism, but given the track record of Ken Bennett, I won't be surprised if the ballots of the affected districts were earmarked to be printed first, just in case one or some of the faux-Greens got cold feet.

Since I live in an area affected by the deception (LD17/CD5), I'll find out definitively in a few weeks when early ballots go out.

Either way it goes, I'll update at that time...