Well, the Virginia GOP has about as much brain power as the candidate they champion, from what I can see...
Posted on 12/27/2015 3:22:47 PM PST by VinL
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump went on a Twitter tirade Sunday after learning that voters wishing to cast a ballot in the Virginia Republican presidential primary will have to sign an oath affirming they are a member of the party.
It begins, Republican Party of Virginia, controlled by the RNC, is working hard to disallow independent, unaffiliated and new voters. BAD! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 27, 2015
R.P.Virginia has lost statewide 7 times in a row. Will now not allow desperately needed new voters. Suicidal mistake. RNC MUST ACT NOW! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 27, 2015
The voters the Republican Party of Virginia are excluding will doom any chance of victory. The Dems LOVE IT! Be smart and win for a change! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 27, 2015
Trump's frustration likely stems from the fact that he performs especially well among voters who have not declared a party affiliation. In a recent survey by American Research Group, for example, he got the support of 15 percent of registered Republicans in New Hampshire, but 29 percent of those who were not registered with either political party.
Virginia voters are not required to register with a particular party, but with the approval of the State Board of Elections, the Republican Party will be able to ask primary voters to sign a party oath.
The state GOP considered a loyalty oath for the 2011 presidential primary. That pledge would have required voters to promise they intended to support the party's nominee during the general election. State Republicans ultimately scrapped the plan after it came under heavy criticism.
Trump has publicly flirted with the idea of mounting a third-party bid if he feels the Republican Party is treating him unfairly. At the last GOP debate earlier this month, however...
Go ahead, GOP, ask me. I'll say no.
I agree but then make it the law.
Good that Trump is all over this
Sure change it to a close primary system, but making voters sign a loyalty plead? Utter nonsense.
....so instead we’ll fill it with Jeb and other reliable republicans.
Is a “Party Oath” the same thing as Registering as a Republican?
After the Primary, I’m reregistering as an Independent anyway. The GOP left me and I would rather be locked in Cell with Joy Behar than Vote for a Democrat.
The state Party considered and rejected a voter 'loyalty oath' in 2008 and in 2012.
What's different this year?
As a Virginian I resent this. My tax dollars are paying for these primaries. Anyone who wants to vote in them should be able to. If the gop faction of the uniparty doesn’t like that, then they can pay for it.
Notify all of your VA friends/family. Contact the VA GOP....via phone, email, FB and Twitter.
See, that's the rub. They can't. The Commonwealth of Virginia has no Party affiliation.
Psst! Independents and Democrats! Wanna know a dirty secret? You can sign it, and then vote however you want down the road! This "Party Oath" is completely unenforceable in Virginia!
You see, the GOPe loves open primaries when a RINO is running. Not so much, when their RINO is getting their ass kicked.
Why would they even think this was in any way binding?
Conscience sometimes behaves in ways not amenable to bullying tactics or potential terrorizing.
Ubi jus, ibi remedium.
What are they gonna do if one pledges falsely?
Non issue. People can’t be that stupid so as to be turned away.
What they gonna do to you? LOL!
I don’t see why it matters... sign the oath under “duress”. Nobody is going to know how you voted.
Sign it and under email write: TRUMP@TRUMPORG.COM
Well, the Virginia GOP has about as much brain power as the candidate they champion, from what I can see...
LOL!!!!!
We Virginians are getting all kinds of "advice" there - including some snarky posts from what appear to be GOPe types - telling us how things actually work in our state, and that everything's gonna be OK.
Bless their hearts.
Sounds like VA is an open primary state?
I like only closed primaries.
But I would rot in the gutters of hell before I would sign a loyalty oath to the GOP.
Trump's point is a valid one.
Makes no sense. If the voters don't register by party, then it seems beyond ridiculous to ask anyone to sign an oath after they come to the polls and cast their vote.
Sounds like the ultimate open primary with no restrictions at all. If they want to have restrictions, they should require regustration by party before votes are cast. This plan is just intrusive and meddlesome.
And I generally oppose open primaries when voters register by party in advance of voting.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.