A service of Salisbury University and University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Trump Supports Challenge to GOP Pledge in VA Primary

Trump presidential logo

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Supporters of presidential candidate Donald Trump are suing Virginia election officials over a state GOP requirement that 2016 primary voters sign a statement affirming they are Republicans.

In a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday, three black pastors said such a "loyalty oath" would violate their civil rights and would discriminate against African-American and Hispanic voters.

Virginia holds open primaries, where any eligible voter can participate. State GOP officials have said requiring primary voters to sign a statement affirming they are Republicans is a way to ensure that GOP voters pick the Republican nominee.

But Trump has been critical of the state GOP's requirement, saying it would scare off potential new Republican voters. He said in a statement he supports the lawsuit, but his campaign is not involved.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.