Statement on the Foster Campaign Petition Challenge

-George DeLuna

I read the notification that I have been removed from the Republican primary ballot.

This is true.

A few details I’d like to make public. I collected 59 signatures myself and someone else got 4 for me. All the people who signed my petition were asked by me if they were republican or independent. I think a few democrats signed because they didn’t want to tell me their true affiliation and at least 2 were a communication problem. In fact, I had one person ask if they could sign for their spouse and I said, “No, I want to keep this on the up and up.”

The petition was challenged by the Foster campaign.

They accused me of fraud and forgery without providing evidence.

One of the 14 signatures was deemed illegible. I had someone go to that person and resubmit that signature to the clerk in the required amount of time and got a receipt for said signature. This would have gotten me to the minimum required 50 signatures. The clerk still rejected my petition.

I expected this.

When I went to town hall to submit my signatures, Carlos Santos of the Union County Republican Party was there and he told me he didn’t want me to run, and if I did the Union County “republicans” would throw everything they had at me and spend up to $30k to prevent me from running or winning.

Deb Varnerin was there with him at the municipal court clerk’s window waiting for me. She did not say anything to me, but she recognized me as we had met and talked in the past. I asked Carlos at the time why he was he supporting a candidate who voted with the democrat Susan Poage (the Democratic candidate for mayor) on substantive issues 98% of the time.

He said it’s a multi-year plan to try to get more Republicans on town council.

I wished him luck and shook his hand.

All of these facts lead me to wonder how much confidence the Union County “republicans” have in their preferred candidate.

Submitted directly by the author’s representative; content reflects the author’s own views.