Legal Marijuana Now candidate Paula Overby died of heart complications Wednesday, Overby’s family said.
Overby was running against Republican Tyler Kistner and Democrat Angie Craig in Minnesota’s Second Congressional District, one of the most competitive races in the nation.
“This is a very sad day for Minnesota’s Second District. Paula Overby cared deeply about our state, and the principles she believed in. It was an honor to have gotten to know Paula throughout this campaign. My thoughts and prayers go out to Paula’s family and friends during this difficult time,” Kistner said in a statement.
Craig said Minnesota is “better for her involvement in our community and she will be deeply missed.”
This is the second cycle in a row where the third-party marijuana candidate has died shortly before the election. Second District candidate Adam Weeks passed away unexpectedly on Sept. 21, 2020, prompting the secretary of state to postpone the election until February. Craig then successfully sued to keep the election on Election Day.
“In 2021, a federal district court ruled that Minnesota’s statute governing vacancies in nomination is preempted by federal law and does not apply to a race for U.S. Congress,” the secretary of state said in a statement Wednesday. “In the absence of any other court order, the November 8, 2022 ballots will remain as printed, and the Congressional District 2 election will proceed as scheduled on November 8, 2022.”
Anthony Gockowski
Anthony Gockowski is Editor-in-Chief of Alpha News. He previously worked as an editor for The Minnesota Sun and Campus Reform, and wrote for the Daily Caller.
