Challenger trying to kick Conyers off ballot

Longtime Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) is facing a challenge to the signatures he gathered to run for reelection that could lead to his removal from the ballot in his primary.

{mosads}Conyers, the 24-term congressman from Detroit, is being challenged by Rev. Horace Sheffield (D) in the primary.

Sheffield is looking to disqualify more than 300 signatures gathered by two Conyers backers, according to the Detroit News, claiming the people gathering the signatures weren’t registered as signature-gatherers at the time.

Such challenges are common, and rarely go anywhere. But on occasion they can end careers. Rep. Thad McCotter (R-Mich.) lost his spot on the ballot after it was revealed that his staffer had turned in fake signatures for his 2012 reelection.

If the 300 signatures are thrown out, Conyers could lose his spot on the ballot. He needs 1,000 valid signatures to run, and of the 2,000 his campaign turned in, 1,193 have been deemed valid at this point.

The 84-year-old congressman and ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee has faced primary challenges before and won by comfortable margins.