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I’m for closed primaries also. That's good. It makes sense to me.

This year they went to proportional delegates which I think was an improvement to allow more to participate before it was over - but it still didn’t last to my state. Can't remember the last time it lasted to my state either.

I’d really like to see the schedule of primaries changed. I'm not as certain I'd change the schedule, as I would change the states that would be allowed to take part in the party's selection process. If the state had open primaries, it would by definition be exempted from taking part. Only Republican voters would be allowed to select the party nominee. If certain states didn't like this, they could work to change their state's laws back to closed primaries. Then they could be welcomed back into the nomination process.

As for what the RNC does or doesn’t support, it’s important to remember how a member of the RNC is chosen. It is not an inherited peerage; if you don’t like who is on it, you change it. While that sounds like a reasoned suggestion, I'm not convinced it's practical. I do think it's a point worth making, as it relates to who is in charge. I'm just not sure the rank and file party member has any real clout.

And Rove is not on the RNC. He has power because he controls a great deal of money spent in campaigns. He got that control because of his success in campaigning, he will lose it when he loses campaigns. Campaign strategists, even the most successful, survive in the coldest of meritocracies. I think this is a reasoned series of comments too, as far as they go. It does bother me that the head of the RNC never crosses one of these highly visible talking heads. Rove (or anyone else with highly visible clout) can go out and trash good people, and the RNC remains mute. Better people are shot down time after time, and the RNC just sits there. It's my take that at times, they even reinforce such pronouncments.

Thanks for the comments.

The rank and file member is the voter. Their vote is their clout. That’s it. Other than donations and working for a campaign; but this is not party per se.

To have more clout, s/he has to get involved in the party itself. It is incredibly easy to begin. Local parties are, in my experience, strongly wanting others and extremely welcoming.

From there, those who show aptitude and work hard move - as they choose and their colleagues choose them. And so on up the ladder to state and national.

Voting has clout, but if you want to change the party, you have to get involved and get others involved. Otherwise it is complaining from the sidelines without ever being willing to take the field and do the work. It works like everything else, get involved, do the work, make the changes you want.

The RNC cannot publicly take sides on any primary election. Individuals can work for one candidate or another but an official of the RNC can’t take sides because the party has to support the winner in the end.

There’s no law to this effect, but has been the standard adhered to and wisely so. Priebus didn’t violate it in the primary but did in the general by not supporting Akin. I think this was most unwise and he will and should pay for it with his post and future in party leadership.