Federal judge rules Colorado Rep. Doug Lamborn should be on primary ballot
WASHINGTON _ A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Colorado Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn should be placed on the primary ballot, overturning a state Supreme Court ruling that he violated state law when collecting signatures for his nomination.
Colorado requires petition circulators to be state residents. The state high court ruled last week that one of Lamborn's circulators was not a resident, thus invalidating some of his signatures and leaving him 58 signatures short of the 1,000 required to qualify for the 5th District ballot.
Lamborn responded with a federal lawsuit, asserting that the residency requirement violated the First Amendment right to free speech. Judge Philip A. Brimmer of the District Court of Colorado wrote in his Tuesday ruling that Lamborn's team was correct, calling the requirement "likely unconstitutional."
Asked if Colorado Secretary of State Wayne W. Williams would appeal the judge's decision, a spokeswoman for his office said it was still reviewing the ruling.
_ CQ-Roll Call
