North Carolina Could Jump the Line in the GOP Presidential Primaries

National Journal ^ | April 8, 2015 | Adam Wollner

[don-o]

One "cantankerous" North Carolina legislator is threatening to throw a wrench into the Republican Party's carefully planned presidential primary calendar in 2016.

And right now, there's no solution in sight.

Unlike in recent election cycles, the 2016 calendar has so far fallen into place the way party leaders had hoped, with the traditional four early-voting states (Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada) on track to hold their primaries in February and others set to start in March. The notable exception, however, is North Carolina, where Republican state Sen. Bob Rucho wrote a law two years ago to move his state up and is now leading a charge to keep it there—in violation of party rules designed to preserve the early states' prestige.

Rucho's legislation in 2013 tethered North Carolina's primary date to South Carolina's in order to give his state more influence in selecting presidential nominees. Since South Carolina's 2016 primary is expected to take place on Feb. 20, North Carolina's would be on Feb. 23 under that law.

But last year, the Republican National Committee passed new rules that would strip delegates from nontraditional states, like North Carolina, that held too-early primaries. If North Carolina holds its primary in February, it could lose at least two-thirds of its delegates, making the state less important for candidates, not more.

[don-o]

Why not have ALL the primaries on the same day?

[don-o]

In case you missed it

[Truth29]

The RNC’s plan to control the selection process so that their anointed GOPe candidate has an easy road to the nomination needs to be broken. If the RNC tries to play hardball, the state needs to fight back, such as making noises about a third party.

[elpadre]

What about making Republican primaries for Republicans??

[wolfman23601]

Is NC’s primary open or limited to registered republicans?

[armydawg505]

Many Southern states will have their primaries March 1. Why not join with your neighbors on that date?

[Soul of the South]

NC primary is open to registered “unaffiliated” voters. Voters who are registered with a party must vote in that party’s primary.

[wolfman23601]

Thanks!

[Leep]

WHy does it seem GOPe/RINOs always emerge as the front runners in the south?
Every primary by the time they get to my state the choices are narrowed down to either a GOPe and or RINO?
You would think in the conservative? south a GOPe or RINO wouldn’t stand a prayer?

[TomGuy]

Why not have ALL the primaries on the same day?

Because the GOP elites have the primaries stacked in favor of --- {drum roll} -- the GOP elites.

==

There were rumors/complaints a few months ago that many of the southern states were wanting to move their primaries earlier -- to around March 1.

Many of those states have primaries so late in the spring that the GOP nominee is typically determined weeks earlier.

Then, there are the superdelegates who are awarded by -- {drum roll} -- the GOP elites.

Are the GOP primaries stacked in favor of the GOP elites?

GOP-Elites {dot} yeah.

[Wallace T.]

The Southern Republican Party has essentially morphed into the pre-1970 Southern Democrats. Before 1970, Southern Republicans were mostly found in pockets of Southern states, such as east Tennessee and the Texas Hill Country, where there had been pro-Union sentiments between 1861 and 1865, plus a few wealthy areas in the big cities, especially where oil and natural gas was the primary source of wealth. The old Democrat Party, which was a uniparty in almost all Southern states, had an establishment wing, tied to business and commercial interests, a pro-segregation, reactionary faction, and a liberal, populist faction.

The 1970-2000 period saw a gradual shift of most white voters away from the Democrats. Outside of college towns, state capitals, Yankee colonies in North Carolina and Florida, and a few union labor pockets, white Southerners have abandoned the party of their ancestors. The old country club elite that had formerly supported moderate, establishment Democrats now back moderate, establishment Republicans. Lindsey Graham's support base and political positions are like those of Ernest Hollings, longtime Democrat senator who was regarded as conservative within his party but would usually score in the middle range on broad-based conservative indices. Many older Southern Republican leaders started their careers as Democrats, e.g. Rick Perry.

As a result, the moderate Republicans that are so prominent in the South are heirs in fact of the moderate Democrats of past generations.

[lwd]

These “non-traditional” states need to all change their dates to the same day, early in the primary and form a confederation of sorts. Let them strip delegates for now but fight back at every opportunity!!! As it stands now, the NC primary is pointless. I voted for old Ron Paul last time because it was either him or Romney at that point.

[Georgia Girl 2]

That’s what I’m thinking. They should join the probable SEC primary for March 1st.

[VRWC For Truth]

IA and NH gotta go. Both are ‘Rat states.

[o2bfree]

boo hoo. The DC GOP is upset.

North Carolina is controlled by local parties that are independent from the District of Corruption.

And the liberal bastards in the establishment can’t accept it!