Arizona Democrats File Legal Challenges Against Multiple Third-Party Candidates

A half-dozen third-party candidates running for Congress and statewide office in Arizona are facing legal challenges to keep them off the ballot.

Most of those challenges were filed by attorneys or law firms tied to Democratic politics, according to KJZZ. The lawsuits target candidates running under Arizona's No Labels Party, which was called the Arizona Independent Party until a judge invalidated that name change last month.

Among those facing challenges is Scottsdale businessman Hugh Lytle, who is running for governor. Michael Zepeda, who is running for state treasurer, also faces a legal challenge. Congressional candidates Christopher Ajluni, Iman Bah and Jessie Martines are among those being challenged.

The challenges also include gubernatorial candidate Risa Lombardo and congressional candidate David Redkey, who are both running as members of the Arizona Green Party.

The lawsuits were filed by attorneys who have ties to Democratic campaigns. Herrera Arellano LLP, co-founded by Roy Herrera who has worked for Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego and advised the presidential campaigns of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, filed challenges against Zepeda, Ajluni, Bah and Martines.

Paul Weich, a Chandler Democrat active in state politics, filed a separate challenge against Martines.

Attorneys Austin Yost, Sambo Dul and Kelleen Mull, who work at firm Coppersmith Brockelman, filed challenges against Lytle and Lombardo. Dul previously worked for Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, and Yost has represented Democratic campaigns in the past.

Paul Johnson, chair of the No Labels Party in Arizona, accused Arizona Democrats of engaging in a coordinated campaign to remove third-party challengers over concerns they could siphon votes away from Democrats and hand electoral victories to Republicans in November.

Johnson connected the challenges to efforts by both Democrats and Republicans to reverse the Arizona Independent Party name change he championed last year, arguing both are part of a larger push by both parties to block candidates who appeal to voters disenchanted with the two major parties.

But the Democratic Party in particular is causing themselves a problem in this election, Johnson said.

Johnson accused both Democrats and Republicans of trying to reverse the name change to the No Labels Party, but Jackson and Weich denied any coordination with the Democratic Party.

Every candidate running for office under a political party's banner in the state must collect a specific number of petition signatures from fellow party members or independent voters to qualify for the July primary election.

And, after candidates turn in those petitions, anyone can challenge their validity in court.

Many of the challenges filed by Democratic attorneys against third-party candidates this year make arguments seen regularly in these types of lawsuits, including claims that a candidate's signatures did not comply with state election laws.

For instance, Lombardo, the Green Party governor candidate, faces challenges over signature validity. Lytle's challenges center on allegations that he listed a residence for ballot qualification purposes that is actually a Scottsdale mansion valued at nearly $7 million.

Courts will rush to hear the legal challenges, which could keep candidates off the ballot in July and November and significantly impact key races.

---

Sources:

• https://www.kjzz.org/elections/2026-04-08/democratic-attorneys-file-legal-challenges-to-remove-third-party-candidates-from-arizona-ballots