HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 3 (UPI) -- Ralph Nader's campaign filed petitions with 45,000 signatures in a bid to get on the Pennsylvania ballot in November.
Shortly before Monday's 5 p.m. deadline, campaign workers delivered boxes of petitions to state officials. State Democratic Party officials told the Philadelphia Inquirer they would vigorously challenge the petitions. Nader needs 25,697 valid signatures to qualify for the ballot as an independent run for president of the United States.
Many Democrats believe Nader cost Al Gore the 2000 election by siphoning off left-leaning votes and are fearful of a similar scenario in 2004. Nader, who ran under the Green Party banner in 1996 and 2000, is an independent this year and has a harder time qualifying for ballots. Democrats promise to make it even tougher.
One state Democratic Party leader told the newspaper, "We're ready to go to war."
Nader spokesman Kevin Zeese told the Inquirer: "It's very undemocratic, but that's their M.O. It shows a lack of confidence in their candidate and in the judgment of the voters that's going to come back and bit them."
