Published: Tuesday, 3/4/2014

BY JIM PROVANCE BLADE COLUMBUS BUREAU CHIEF

COLUMBUS Those seeking to remove Libertarian candidates for governor and Ohio attorney general from the ballot on Tuesday claimed Democrats stepped in at the last minute to salvage their candidacies when it was clear their petition efforts were falling apart.

The Libertarians, in turn, accused Republicans of orchestrating the effort to remove them from the ballot.

And the hearing officer presiding over the case for Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted repeatedly wondered aloud the relevance of behind-the-scenes involvement of a law firm, consulting firm, and political operatives usually associated with Democrats

The challenge urges Mr. Husted to remove Charlie Earl, a former Republican state representative from Bowling Green, from the ballot for governor and Steven A. Linnabary, a Columbus civil engineer, from the ballot for attorney general.

The finger-pointing and legal scrambling illustrate how minor party candidates, who normally garner little attention in Ohio politics, have suddenly become significant factors.

Some conservatives have voiced support for an alternative to the right of Republican Gov. John Kasich because of his push to expand Medicaid under the federal health-care law and refusal to endorse an effort to make Ohio a right-to-work state.

When a threatened primary challenge to Mr. Kasich failed to materialize, attention instead turned to Mr. Earl.

The Libertarian Party has endorsed a proposed right-to-work constitutional amendment prohibiting the mandatory collection of fair-share fees in lieu of dues from employees who refuse to join a workplace union.

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Foes of 2 Libertarian hopefuls say Dems saved candidacies