The executive director of the Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee (ADCC) withdrew a challenge to the nomination papers of state Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez late Friday according to WisPolitics.
Attorney David Hollander on behalf of the ADCC sent an email explaining the reversal. He wrote that the challenge filed relied on an initial Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) posting that was incorrect. That initial assessment, with the challenged signatures, indicated Ortiz-Velez lacked enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.
After the deadline for challenges passed, the commission uploaded additional supplemental signatures. Those additions brought her total to above the necessary threshold. WEC staff confirmed an agency error caused the original delay of information. The supplemental nomination papers had not been uploaded to the Badger Voters system in time for challengers to review them.
This withdrawal follows reporting that Democrats challenged the nomination signatures of two of their own members.
Ortiz-Velez left the Assembly Democratic caucus last year amid fallout with colleagues. They alleged she threatened to bring a firearm and harm several of them. She later pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge. The charge stemmed from her threat to tell journalists negative things about another Democratic lawmaker’s personal life.
Ortiz-Velez now faces a Democratic primary challenge from Ismael Luna on August 11th.
