Two big problems.
One: Open Primaries. Since Dems no longer are competitive in statewide races, they can select the most left-wing candidate on the GOP side (along with the party establishment voters).
Two: No runoffs. The most left-leaning RINO can snatch the nomination with a mere plurality. 60% vote for Conservative candidates ? 70% ? No problem.
Conservatives wanted former Congressman Ed Bryant in 2002 (against Lamar!, who flooded the race with big $$ and Dubya/Rove Establishment support) and again in 2006 (against Corker, who eked out a plurality when the Establishment persuaded an ex-Congressman Van Hilleary to split the vote with Bryant).
A nice little racket for the RINOs in Tennessee. They also have a flaky left-winger RINO as Governor, too (who refused to vote for or support Trump). A real prince.
What do you think of our Lt Governor? I don’t know him, but what I’ve heard from him, I’ve liked.
Great post. I’d love to see those two issues addressed.
Open primaries was how (IMO) the Republicans were planning to foist Jeb on us. They were not counting on Trump. Or maybe they were, but not in the way that it turned out. They were counting on another beatable candidate like Romney and McLame, who, if by some chance he was elected, would do the bidding of the Democrats.