I’ve just been told that VA has “open” primaries where any and all lunatic-fringe leftists can vote in a Republican primary possibly helping to defeat a candidate most Republicans vote for? Will somebody tell my why open primaries aren’t one of the worst ideas in politics?
Well, open primaries can be frustrating for the party, but, generally, in states that have closed primaries voters simply switch parties before the cut-off date to vote in the primary of their choice. And states that allow voters to register as Independent gives them the option of choosing either the “R” or “D” ballot; that’s how Virginia does it since all registered voters in Virginia are, in effect, independent.
There is no registration by party in VA. When the primaries arrive, you go to your polling place and tell them you want an R or a D ballot. It’s horrible. Since there’s no D primary this year, the scenario you paint will be lived out, tho not as many as you’d suspect actually have not crossed over in the past.
Recall, last presidential primary, R’s were asking other R’s to go vote for Hillary because the R nomination was no longer in question. What goes around comes around.
The downside for cross-over voters is that their name gets on the other party’s solicitation lists and they get all the mail and calls from both parties, and nothing can stop it.