Posted on 07/27/2015 7:27:14 AM PDT by conservativejoy
Supporters of Presidential candidate Scott Walker have gotten their way in the North Carolina General Assembly in their maneuvers to make the NC presidential primary a winner take all affair for the first time in the state’s history, something that does not go down well with many GOP activists in the state. The General Assembly had passed legislation in a previous session to set the primary for February, creating an RNC rule violation that would have led to punitive measures greatly reducing the size of the NC delegation. That set up a drive within the party to move the date to avoid that loss of delegates. The legislation to make the change created an opportunity to otherwise change the rules.
The legislation that passed in the General Assembly set the primary for March 15, but also made the change to a winner take all format.
Leading the charge for a winner take all system was State Senator Bob Rucho (R-Mecklenburg), a supporter of Walker who is a key member of Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger’s leadership team, but who is personally ideologically to the left of the conservative Berger. As CBS News tells the story:
Sources told CBS News that the Walker campaign also made it known to allies in the state legislature — namely state Sen. Bob Rucho, a powerful state Republican — that a March 15 winner-take-all contest would be its preference. According to one source, Walker “put the squeeze” on Rucho to make North Carolina an early winner-take-all primary.
“The 15th was communicated to Senator Rucho as the preferred date by the Walker campaign,” said another GOP source involved in the maneuvering. “If you’re Walker, you’re not going to go to Florida – why would you spend money there? You got Kasich’s Ohio on the same day. You’re not going to put a lot of resources there. North Carolina is a big fish.”
Moving the primary to March marked a change of heart for Rucho, who was locked in a dispute earlier this year with national Republican officials over his desire to move the primary to February – showcasing the state early in the nomination process. But that would have been in flagrant violation of Republican National Committee rules protecting February for the first four voting states: Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada.
The Walker campaign declined repeated requests for comment.
Though multiple North Carolina Republicans said Rucho has been pulling the strings for Walker behind the scenes, Rucho denies being an outright supporter of the governor, despite heaping praise on him.
“I was very pleased to watch and see Governor Walker and see the message he put out,” Rucho told CBS News, praising Walker’s conservative record in Wisconsin. “My feeling is lot of people can talk about what they would like to do, but very few of them can actually achieve it.”
To see how a winner take all primary can distort the results from the Republican voters of North Carolina, one only has to look at the comments of Sen. Andrew Brock (R-Davie), a normally conservative legislator who co-sponsored the bill to change the primary:
“There is real opportunity here,” said State Sen. Andrew Brock, a co-sponsor of the bill moving the primary to March. “You can win with 15 or 16 percent of the vote. You’re going to have to run a campaign. And it doesn’t benefit one candidate or another in this race who is looking in our state.”
Get 15% of the vote and win ALL of the delegates? That is not the North Carolina way, and Walker faces a backlash among GOP voters as more learn why it is that our tradition of proportional representation has been destroyed. Some of the legislators behind this may also feel a backlash in their primaries, especially since more and more Republican activists are becoming disillusioned at multiple actions of the present legislature.
Unfortunately most of the other campaigns were asleep at the switch, as only Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) 86%‘s campaign made any effort in the legislature to preserve the proportional representation in the presidential primary.
This is particularly a concern among Republican activists after a bid to close North Carolina Republican primaries failed earlier this year. Not only could someone with 15% of the vote win all of the delegates, but what puts them just above a rival with 14.9% may be extensive support by non-Republican voters. The state, under procedures that will be in place for 2016 could see support from non-Republicans push a highly unrepresentative presidential candidate over the top to get all 72 of the state’s delegates. Thanks a lot, Governor Walker, Bob Rucho, (and Brad Dayspring?)
You are not only ignorant to the Facts, you are too dense to even acknowledge the fact when it is clearly pointed out to you.
The Primary format is being pushed by the Establishment for winner take all.
Claiming this is a win for Walker is childish.
March 1 is the big Southern regional primary. I guess NC does not want to participate.
You just want Jeb that is really the bottom line. After 2012 and you guys bashing Santorum all day and night, I refuse to allow you guys to do it with Walker. You shouted how wonderful Newt was throughout the primary because he yelled and screamed about the media and government....well that didn’t get anything done except Romney. You are following the exact same projector again in 2016. You never learn. You will end up getting us Hillary like you did getting us Obama in 2012. You just don’t learn.
Look teenie bobber, I’ve been on this site since early 1998 promoting CONSERVATIVE Candidates. In 2004 I was given and prolonged time out for pointing out GW Arbusto’s liberal leanings.
So don’t even attempt to tie me to ANY Liberal Candidate of either party.
You on the other hand, appear to either be a seminar poster for Walker or a paid hack from the Campaign. Either way, you are way over your head, so before you get zapped go back to the kids table where you belong.
Santorum? REALLY? That Jackwagon couldn’t even make it out of his party’s primary for re-election of a Senate seat.
I get it.....
It’s the return of the FR Blue Hairs and flying Monkey brigade.
Yeah I have seen this movie before. Go away troll.
Oh brother. I just saw you running your mouth on another thread. Thank God FREEPERS are calling you out on your stupidity. Call me whatever you want. FREEPERS know your score. You mean nothing to me.
Santorum? REALLY? That Jackwagon couldn’t even make it out of his party’s primary for re-election of a Senate seat.
Oh that’s right. You are for that Toomey guy who voted for gays in the military and is as liberal as you are. You support the worst people on Earth. Sad.
Oh yeah? We'll if you don't support MY candidate, how can we be sure that YOU love America????
/s
Since Oct 28, 2010
Yeah that is when I was reinstated.
Smart by Half...
I don’t live in Pennsylvania so I don’t vote for any of the candidates there. Just stating facts, Santorum got beat in his Primary...but he looks so dreamy in those sweaters. /s
Nice try Harpie.
I think you’re makin’ that up.
I didn’t say that Cruz didn’t love America. Just that voters are not inspired by him and the Senate don’t seem to think he is effective in getting his bills passed which happens to be true. He is not a Reagan that is for sure. The reason I like Walker (who by the way is NOT an enemy even though you believe so) is that he gets things done. I like that. I am not much into the dreamy, star in the pie, platitude type candidate. Never have been.
Oh darn....perhaps if you lived in Pennsylvania, Santorum would have won.......dang it....lost opportunity. lol.
How cool. We are showing our start date. That is really neat. Thanks for reminding me that I have my 10 year anniversary coming up....hard to believe it has gone by so quickly.
napscoordinator
Since Aug 11, 2005
Your turn Yahschertsiv....
Anyone posting from that time period that is still here will vouch for that.
I came here from then the NYT Political Forums when FR was just taking off big. We all watched as Matt Drudge made his name and the whole saga of the Clinton/Lewinsky mess because public. I was here when we paid for a full page Impeachment Ad in the Washington Times. I know because I donated 500 dollars, it was paid thru an account overseen by a Doctor I believe in Floriduh. I was here thru the OPH drama, Connie Hair, etc.
I was banned when the Blue Haired Harpies and flying Monkeys tried to run everyone off this site that didn’t subscribe to their Politician or politics which at that time was all about bowing to Karl Rove and GW Bush. it got hot and many old time posters got sensored/time outs/shown the door.
Some time after that there was a house cleaning of the Harpies/flying monkeys.
So you are either a retread from the original Harpies or you are starting the same crap again...
If you are that interested Contact the Owner of this site. Jim knows full well how long I have posted on this site along with many others from that time period, People Like Kristen, Doctor Raul and many others.
I have now said my peace...
Whether you believe it or not? I don’t give a shit.
There have been a lot of true leaders in my lifetime. Here are just a few:
In saying that Walker gets things done while Cruz doesn’t, you’re comparing apples to asteroids.
Walker is a governor whose party controls both houses of the state legislature. Cruz is a legislator. He is limited as to what he can accomplish because his faction—conservative Republicans—is outnumbered when the “establishment” faction of the GOP combines with the opposition. And then there’s the fact that the opposition controls the presidency and with it, the veto pen.
Under that light no governor has any accomplishments.
Walker undisputedly drove Act 10, which was pioneering in defunding unions.
Yashcheritsiy
Since Jul 14, 2004
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