Pennsylvania Supreme Court quickly dispatches of challenge to Cruz's eligibility

Last week I blogged about the expedited briefing in the Pennsylvania challenge to Ted Cruz's eligibility to appear on the ballot--and the wrong-headed reasoning of the district court's decision. Today, more than a week after briefing was completed, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued a brief per curiam opinion affirming the district court's order without reasons given. It's impossible to know whether it agrees with the district court's reasoning or simply affirmed the order on other grounds. Regardless, this maneuver avoids setting any ill-advised precedent on the scope of Pennsylvania ballot access disputes, and it effectively insulates the case from a certiorari grant to the United States Supreme Court (which would likely refuse to hear the case on the pragmatic reason that it lacks certainty about why the Pennsylvania Supreme Court did what it did and finds no other reason compelling it to weigh in, apart from any prudential or discretionary concerns that may incline it to reject the case).