Long-time Democrat asks Supreme Court to let him run in GOP primary for U.S. House seat in Ohio

Less than a decade ago, Samuel Ronan was running for chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Now he wants to be the GOP’s nominee for a U.S. House seat in Ohio, but election officials have removed him from the ballot, saying he’s not Republican enough.

On Monday, Mr. Ronan rushed to the Supreme Court, asking the justices to order him back on the primary ballot.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has blocked him from the ballot, saying Mr. Ronan doesn’t self-identify as a Republican and has even talked about the need to have Democrats run in GOP primaries.

Mr. LaRose, a Republican, said those comments violate the purpose of primaries — to allow political parties to select candidates who will appear on a general election ballot.

The case tests the limits of a party’s ability to control its candidates, particularly against mischief-makers whose goal appears to be to trick voters.

Mr. Ronan insists that’s not what he’s trying to do, despite his bona fides as a Democrat — including that 2017 run for national party chair.

He said he doesn’t actually self-identify as a Democrat and his values “match the Republican Party of yesterday,” so he feels he should be able to run as one.

He said he agrees with at least 80% of the GOP platform and has cast himself as a modern-day Ronald Reagan for switching party allegiance.

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“Ronan’s campaign is a good faith attempt to win over Republican voters by advocating his values — values he believes Democrats have forsaken,” his lawyers told the justices in their request to get him back on the ballot.

Mr. Ronan’s placement on the primary ballot was challenged by a voter. The matter went to the Franklin County Board of Elections, which deadlocked 2-2, giving the tiebreaking vote to Mr. LaRose.

He ruled that, despite Mr. Ronan’s certification that he is a member of the Republican Party and would “support and abide by” GOP principles, his past statements belied that.

“Mr. Ronan’s public statements, and those of individuals associated with him and his candidacy, make clear that Mr. Ronan is seeking the Republican nomination as part of his longstanding strategy to have Democrats run as Republicans in Republican primaries,” Mr. LaRose concluded.

He said the issue isn’t one of ideological purity but the integrity of the election itself.

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“The goal of his scheme is to get voters to vote for Democrats, believing they are voting for Republicans,” Mr. LaRose wrote.

A U.S. district court initially ordered that Mr. Ronan be kept on the ballot, but later erased that order. Mr. Ronan asked the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to intervene, but the judges there declined.

That left the Supreme Court as his final appeal.

The high court gave Ohio authorities a Wednesday deadline to respond to Mr. Ronan’s petition.

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The race is for the May 5 primary for the GOP nominee for Ohio’s 15th congressional district. Mr. Ronan would face Rep. Mike Carey, the Republican incumbent.

• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.