Socialism Arrives on Maryland Voter Ballots

from the WaPo

The Maryland Board of Elections has certified the socialist Bread and Roses party after its founder — who sought the Democratic nomination for a U.S. Senate seat last year — submitted the required 10,000 signatures.

The party, created by philosopher and progressive activist Jerome Segal, can now be on the ballot in 2020. Segal was among several challengers to U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin in the Democratic primary. After his defeat, he unsuccessfully fought in court to have his name on the general-election ballot as a Bread and Roses candidate in November.

A judge ruled that placing Segal’s name on the ballot would violate the “sore loser” statute of state law, which prohibits a candidate “who is defeated for the nomination for a public office” from appearing “on the ballot at the next succeeding general election as a candidate for any office.”

The ruling was upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit.

“It’s been a long haul,” Segal said Thursday.

Segal, the author of a book titled “Graceful Simplicity,” said he is interested in creating “an economy of choice” that allows all citizens to spend more time with their families and less time working.

He submitted 10,194 valid signatures, according to a letter sent to him Thursday by the Board of Elections.

Segal supports free college education and government-guaranteed employment for all citizens, as well as accessible start-up entre­pre­neur­ship training.

He said that based on polling he has conducted, he is confident Maryland residents are ready for alternatives to the two-party system.

Segal, who majored in philosophy and finance in college, told The Washington Post last year that he sold his stock in Apple to finance more than $250,000 in newspaper advertisements calling him “Maryland’s Bernie Sanders.”