Rep. Phillip Pettus, R-Green Hill, is committed to pushing forward with his efforts to ban state political parties from disqualifying candidates based on campaign donations from specific groups. In response to a 2023 rule by the ALGOP targeting candidates receiving donations from education associations, Pettus has pre-filed House Bill 6 for the 2025 legislative session.
Pettus believes that political parties should not have the authority to dictate where candidates can receive campaign contributions from, emphasizing that it should be up to the voters to decide if this is an issue. He argues that the ALGOP’s actions amount to a form of dictatorship and says that while he has not received financial support from the party, he has received support from the AEA.
Despite facing opposition from the ALGOP, Pettus remains determined to move his bill forward, citing concerns about the party’s authority over ballot access. He believes that the party’s interference in candidate fundraising undermines the democratic process and should be challenged.
His 2024 bill on this issue did not advance out of the House Committee on Constitution, Campaigns and Elections Committee. However, Pettus is unwavering in his stance and plans to continue advocating for the protection of candidates’ rights to receive campaign contributions from any source. He believes that the party’s interference in this process is unconstitutional and a threat to the principles of democracy.
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