RAPID CITY, S.D.(KELO)- The deadline is Tuesday…and hopeful Congressional candidate Justin McNeal of Rapid City is still gathering signatures.

He needs 35-hundred signatures in order to make the ballot as an independent to challenge Republican Dusty Johnson.

His path to this point has been bumpy, including a couple of run-ins with the chairman of the state GOP.

McNeal came up just short of the needed number of signatures to appear on the Republican Primary ballot in his challenge to Congressman Johnson.

Some republicans are concerned his challenge as an independent will open the door for Democratic challenger Sheryll Johnson to defeat the Congressman.