I think there is a deadline for filing, however I don’t know the date.
In 2008 the person who was supposed to file for Duncan Hunter missed the deadline, (deliberately, imo) and Hunter was out permanently.
That’s right..there has to be a deadline because they have to get on the ballots. Well good. I don’t know then what rove was talking about, but not long after he said it was when I saw this thread - and I thought they were plotting something.