[Written March 20, 2016]
Next Tuesday’s votes for Republicans are Arizona and Utah (and American Samoa).
The vote in Arizona is called the Presidential Preference Election – it is not the Party Primary. Senator John McCain is up for reelection this year. He will be 80 years old and has already hinted he may retire.
The primary will be on August 30th. Party candidates have until June 1st to turn in petitions. Write in candidates have until July 21st.
If Donald Trump wants to be listed on the ballot as a new political party in November, his party needs petitions with 1.33% of the votes cast in the last election for governor of Arizona distributed over at least 5 counties. Those petitions must be filed 180 days before the primary, a deadline which passed two weeks ago.
Trump has no idea what a third party campaign means. He can’t quit at the convention in July then form his party. It’s a pretty safe bet the Libertarian party or Green Party won’t choose Trump as their nominee. He also has the option of running as an Independent candidate, which requires a 3% of voters threshold.
Perot’s 1992 Presidential run as an independent began on February 20, 1992 when he told Larry King he was hearing sucking sounds.