The Democrat who challenged Republican Congressman Fred Upton in 2014 and 2016 won’t be his party’s nominee this year.
Paul Clements was one of six candidates who filed for the Democratic nomination. But the Board of State Canvassers ruled Friday that Clements fell nine signatures short of the one-thousand needed to qualify for the August primary ballot. Clements calls the decision disappointing. He says the board had a chance to respect the will of the voters, but kept him off the ballot due to a technicality.
Some petition signers from cities and townships with the same name misstated which one they lived in. Clements says he will not file a legal challenge to the board’s ruling, and will not run a write-in campaign.
The board also ruled today that Eponine Garrod fell short of the signatures needed to appear on the ballot. That leaves four Democrats running in the 6th Congressional district, which includes Kalamazoo. George Franklin, David Benac, Matt Longjohn and Rich Eichholz will be on the August ballot.
The winner will challenge Upton in the general election.
