West Virginia Supreme Court hears arguments on Don Blankenship's ballot appeal
Convicted former coal CEO Don Blankenship's last chance to get his name on the ballot in November's U.S. Senate race in West Virginia begins at a hearing before the state Supreme Court.
The court on Wednesday is scheduled to hear Blankenship's appeal of a decision denying his third-party candidacy application.
Secretary of State Mac Warner blocked Blankenship's bid to run as the Constitution Party's nominee, based on the state's "sore loser" law. It prohibits major party primary candidates who lose from switching to a minor party. Blankenship lost the Republican nomination to the state's attorney general Patrick Morrisey during the primary race in May.
President Trump urged Republicans in the state not to vote for Blankenship, citing his inability to win the general election in November, as the GOP looks to unseat Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin. Blankenship cited Mr. Trump's tweet as perhaps the biggest factor in his loss.
Blankenship is the former CEO of Massey Energy, which owned a mine where a 2010 explosion killed 29 miners. He spent a year in federal prison for violating safety regulations.