NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Most polls show Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) leading FMR Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen (D) in the 2018 Tennessee Senate race. Bredesen for Senate recently ran a Facebook Ad with a quote from a New York Times op ed saying, "At stake in the Bredesen-Blackburn race is the durability of a Tennessee tradition of electing temperamentally sound senators."
That post prompted a Tennessee Libertarian Party member frustrated with the two party system's iron grip on the ballot to go off on the former governor about a ballot access process in Tennessee that is arbitrary, capricious, and clearly biased in favor of the two party establishment. Here's what he said:
"Complete BS. It's about ignoring the TN constitution clause guaranteeing Tennesseans 'free and equal' elections by moving the goal post every time a third party manages to get over a hurdle. D's and R's? 25 signatures to get on the ballot. Anyone else? 2% of the voters. No, wait, 5%. No wait, you had to have your signatures turned in before today, even though there wasn't a date mentioned before. No, wait, we can't put a libertarian on the ballot because it's too expensive.
That's literally the ballot access process in TN, and we're sick of it. THAT is why there are 30 libertarians running as independent in TN this year." -Brandon McNaughton