On July 15, the Virginia Republican Party voted to nominate its statewide candidates in 2013 by convention instead of by primary. See this story.
On July 15, the Virginia Republican Party voted to nominate its statewide candidates in 2013 by convention instead of by primary. See this story.
This is why people think the Republican Party is out of touch. The people should have a say not party leaders. This smells of Elitism. The people should protest this and demand a primary.
http://davisforwvhouse.webs.com
Parties are voluntary associations of people; therefore they can choose their candidates/bylaws/etc. however the heck they want. You don’t hear people shouting for party platform planks to be put up on primary ballots as referenda because parties do NOT equal government. Who would want non-party members deciding on party platforms in an open primary?
However, if a candidate who seeks a nomination of such a voluntary association fails to receive it, it should not be difficult for him/her to satisfy their potential voters by getting on the general election ballot. This is why “sore loser” laws are particularly odious, especially in the case of parties that nominate by convention. This decision by the VA GOP isn’t one I favor, but that’s just out of personal preference and if the Republicans rather not rob taxpayers of millions of dollars for their own private use in a primary, I can’t blame them. Now, if we could just get public funds out of ALL party business and stop subsidizing national conventions…
I know in some states where the party decides on a convntion or caucus, you still see a primary ballot for that party. Will this be the case where we won’t even see a primary ballot for Republicans?
No. 2. Lack of public funding in our political process is the problem today. Too many private funds which do not always have the people’s interest at mind. I could write a dissertation about this, but all parties should receive government funding for their primaries (but let all votes who desire participate in them). All candidates who demonstrate public support by polling say 5% in the polls or who present a petition signed by say 5% of the electorate requesting public financing, should be afforded such not only in the primaries but in the General Election. Government belongs to the people not the party leaders. Therefore government should make sure the people’s voice is heard – not that of private interests.