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Judge Dismisses Republican Lawsuit Aimed At Booting Democrats Off Dallas County Ballot

ERIK HERSMAN / FLICKR

A judge has dismissed a lawsuit that sought to remove more than 80 Democratic candidates in Dallas County from the November general election ballot.

State District Judge Eric Moyé on Monday ruled that Dallas County Republican Party Chairwoman Missy Shorey did not have standing to bring the lawsuit, which intended to disqualify more than 120 Democratic candidates when it was filed ahead of the March 6 primary. 

The lawsuit alleged that Carol Donovan, chairwoman of the Dallas County Democratic Party, didn’t sign the candidate applications before sending them to the Texas Secretary of State’s Office. The lawsuit argued the signature was required to certify the candidates for election.

The March primary weeded out of some of the candidates threatened by the lawsuit.

State Rep. Eric Johnson, D-Dallas, was among the candidates in jeopardy. Moyé’s decision comes just one month after Johnson filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, according to Johnson’s office.

“This frivolous lawsuit was a thinly veiled attempt by the Dallas County Republican Party to take away the ability of minority voters in Dallas County to elect the candidates of their choice,” Johnson said in a statement. “The Republican Party seems to be doing everything in its power to show minority voters that it has little regard for them at the national, state, and now local level.”

While the lawsuit has been called “frivolous” and “baseless,” Donovan was criticized by some Democrats who said she didn’t do her job properly. Still, she beat Dallas lawyer Chris Hamilton in the primary to keep her seat as party chair.

With the suit dismissed, Moyé will determine if the GOP will have to pay legal fees. Shorey said there's been no decision on appealing.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.