Some journalists and political commentators believe that closed primaries produce “extremist” government officials, and that if only independent voters could participate in party primaries, primaries would then be won by “centrist” or “moderate” candidates. Therefore, it is worth noting that the rules of the Iowa Republican Straw Poll permit any Iowa resident who is at least age 16 and 1/2, vote. See this wikipedia article on the Iowa Republican straw poll.
There is a great deal more evidence than this that there is no correlation between type of primary system, and the type of office-holder who wins. Political scientist Boris Shor studied polarization and partisanship in state legislatures for the period 1995-2010. He analyzed hundreds of thousands of bits of data, specifically legislative roll-calls, and legislators’ responses to questionaires. He found no correlation between type of primary system and partisanship. Although he did find that California had the most polarized legislature during the years he studied, Washington state had the second-most polarized legislature, and most of that period, Washington state had either a blanket primary or a top-two primary. He also found that Wisconsin had one of the most polarized legislatures, and Wisconsin has always used a classic open primary.
California used blanket primaries for all special elections 1967-2010, but the state legislators and members of Congress elected in special elections in California in those years were just as partisan as legislators and congressmembers elected in regularly-elected elections. Both of California’s John Birch Society congressmen were elected initially in special elections. Also, the people elected in 2011 in California’s special elections, under the top-two system, has been the same kind of person who had been elected under the old semi-closed system.
P.R. and App.V.
NO MORON timebomb primaries are needed or wanted any more.
Are the straw vote ballots given to cows to eat ???
I’ve campaigned for a candidate in the Iowa caucuses during the few days leading up to the primary and on primary day itself. That day I shuttled a few people who needed transportation to one caucus. I stayed and watched this particular caucus take place. It’s a farce, a very sad political comedy. People moving like sheep from one side of the room to another while various campaign operatives make their pitches for their candidates.
At the time I was in Iowa, one only needed to declare one’s intention to move to Iowa in order to participate in the caucus.
As ridiculous as that is, the saddest fact about the Iowa primary is that fewer than one percent of the people who will participate in the general election determine which candidates are allowed by the media to move on to NH and beyond, labelled as “losers” because they didn’t whet the political appetite of a few thousand Iowans.
It’s ludicrous.
I believe California had three John Birch Society congressmen and Georgia had one.
Michael
Please list the JBS Congressman.
Sincerely, Mark Seidenberg, Vice Chairman, American Independent Party
The two California John Birch Society members of Congress who were elected in special elections were John Rousselot and John Schmitz. Edgar Hiestand was another California John Birch Society Congressman, but he was first elected before the John Birch Society existed. He was elected for the first time in 1952, and the JBS was founded in 1958.
Tim Pawlenty just bowed out of the GOP race. That means that there’s probably going to be a boost in support for Bachmann, Perry, Santorum, and Paul.
I think the Pawlentry voters are going to Romney or Perry, with Huntsman being a big iffy. Who knows, however, I could be wrong!
Derek
You state “I think the Pawlentry voters are going to Romney or Perry, with Huntsman being a big iffy.”
Why!?
Sincerely, Mark Seienberg, Vice Chairman, American
Independent Party