May 21, 2018

Blankenship to run as third-party candidate after losing bitter primary

Don Blankenship addressing supporters following his election loss earlier this month.

Don Blankenship addressing supporters following his election loss earlier this month. Photo: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images

Former coal executive and ex-convict Don Blankenship announced Monday his plan to launch a third-party bid for a West Virginia Senate seat as a Constitution Party candidate after finishing third in this month’s GOP primary, reports NPR.

Yes, but: That's against the state's so-called "sore loser" or "sour grapes" law, which prohibits primary candidates who ran for office and lost from launching a third-party bid in the general election. The controversial GOP outsider, who unleashed racially-charged attacks toward Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his wife, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, said he's open to challenging the election law.

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