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But Circuit Judge Mark Barnett of Pierre said a new hearing date will be set after a different judge is assigned.
• Barnett had scheduled a hearing Tuesday, but Strong was still driving to Pierre when it started. After calling her on her cell phone, Barnett granted a request she filed Monday that he remove himself from the case.
• Strong, who is acting as her own lawyer, claims Secretary of State Jason Gant unfairly rejected some of the signatures on her nominating petition. She wants her name placed on the ballot so she can challenge Rep. Kristi Noem for the Republican nomination for the House seat.
• However, Gant said it's too late to add Strong's name because early voting has already started on ballots that do not include any Republican U.S. House primary.

No GOP congressional primary contest is on the ballot because no challenger filed a valid nominating petition before early voting started April 20, he has said.
• "You can't change the election in the middle," Gant said after Tuesday's brief court hearing.
• State lawyers have asked that Strong's lawsuit be thrown out. It was apparently filed April 17, the day before primary ballots had to be printed and given to county election officials.
• Strong's lawsuit

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