Posted on 11/23/2013 3:45:33 PM PST by markomalley
The Maryland Republican Party took no action Saturday on the idea of opening its primaries to independent voters but left open the possibility of doing so after next year’s elections.
A report on the controversial issue was delivered to party leaders Friday but did not come up for discussion during the general session of the Maryland GOP’s fall convention in Annapolis, the last opportunity to change the rules before the June 2014 primaries.
“With it just being presented last night, people were a little uncomfortable,” said Joe Cluster, the party’s executive director. “It would be a big change.”
Some Republican activists have argued that opening primaries in Maryland would increase the party’s chances of picking a nominee better positioned to prevail in a state where registered Democrats outnumber them more than 2 to 1. Maryland has elected only one Republican governor — Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. — during the past generation.
The report prepared by a committee of GOP activists made no recommendation but noted that Massachusetts and Rhode Island, two other heavily Democratic states, have actually elected more Republican governors than Democratic ones in recent decades. Both states allow unaffiliated voters to participate in GOP primaries.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Yet 16 year olds can vote in Takoma Park, MD.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/05/election-day-weird/3448145/
"We gotta run and be just like Dems...now, now...we can't offend the Dems or make them angry, let's sweep the social issues and those Tea Party cretins under the rug and talk about how we can run the same statist programs a little more effectively than our friends across the aisle. Otherwise those moderate and independent voters that we REALLY, REALLY need to win will...EGADS! Vote for the Dems!"
Open primaries is such a ridiculously stupid idea
Seriously, those are your examples? Seriously??
Some Republican activists have argued that opening primaries in Maryland would increase the party’s chances of picking a nominee better positioned to prevail in a state where registered Democrats outnumber them more than 2 to 1. Maryland has elected only one Republican governor — Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. — during the past generation... Massachusetts and Rhode Island, two other heavily Democratic states, have actually elected more Republican governors than Democratic ones in recent decades. Both states allow unaffiliated voters to participate in GOP primaries.Thanks markomalley.
They are, they totally are.
New Jersey has also spent slightly more time with Pubs than Dems as governor over the short and medium run (going back to the 60’s actually), but has managed to select their winners (unfortunately mostly RINOs) in closed primaries.
Imagine a GOP-e boot, stomping on a Marylander’s face, forever . . .
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
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