NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - A black candidate claims Virginia Democrats are disenfranchising her by trying to remove her from the ballot of a tight congressional race.
Shaun Brown filed a court motion Friday against a Democratic lawsuit aimed at ending her candidacy.
Brown is a former Democrat running as an independent in the 2nd District on Virginia's coast. Republican Congressman Scott Taylor and Democratic challenger Elaine Luria are in a close race.
Citing poll taxes and literacy tests, Brown claims Virginia's Democrats have "a long history of racism and disenfranchisement of black people."
Democrats are suing to remove Brown over allegedly forged signatures and other mistakes on petitions submitted to place her on the ballot. Some of the signatures were collected by Republicans.
The Virginia Democratic Party did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
