Federal Judge Orders GOP Congressman Lamborn Back On Ballot

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO -- It's on-again, off-again for Cong. Doug Lamborn, who appears to have clawed his way back onto the June 26 primary ballot for his GOP seat in Colorado Springs.

Saying a citizen signing a political petition is "First Amendment protection at its zenith," a Colorado federal judge Tuesday ordered 5th District six-term GOP congressman Lamborn's name to appear on the June Republican ballot.

U.S. District Court Judge Philip Brimmer ordered Secretary of State Wayne Williams to add Lamborn's name to the ballot after the Colorado Supreme Court booted Lamborn last week from the GOP primary race, arguing that he failed to reach a petition signature threshold of 1,000 registered voters because two circulators were out of state residents, and unqualified to circulate.

Lamborn filed a federal lawsuit saying the Colorado petition signature rules were unconstitutional.

“We believe it is time to move on from this issue, and we hope our opponents will end their legal maneuverings in an effort to disqualify Congressman Lamborn from the Republican primary," said Lamborn campaigner Dan Bayens in a statement. “As we have said all along, we believe voters — not lawyers and judges — should decide the outcome of elections.”

If Lamborn remains on the June 26 primary ballot, he will face four other Republicans running for his seat in Colorado Springs. They are El Paso County Commissioner Darryl Glenn, state Sen. Owen Hill, retired judge Bill Rhea and former Green Mountain Falls Mayor Tyler Stevens. Democrat Stephany Rose Spaulding is running unopposed in the traditionally conservative district.

Read the federal court ruling here:

Image Doug Lamborn via US Congress