The Michigan Republican Party is trying to decide: Caucus, Convention, or Closed Primary?

7/12/11 | jenk

[jenk]

There is discussion as to what Michigan should do:

1)Close the primary and there are numerous suggestions as to how to qualify voters. Registration as R's, allowing only R's to vote for the Republican Pres. nominee--down to calling our open primary a closed primary by simply asking to have either a Dem or R ballot (which is what we do now.)

2)Hold a convention

3)Caucus

The arguments against all are numerous.

The caucus argument seems to be losing steam because of the difficulty to organize it in very small and very big counties.

The convention argument is gaining steam, but personally, I think it is unfair, considering that if I come from a small county, but have a lot of Republicans who may be against the establishment, that they would not be able to vote, since we can only send 4 or 6 delegates to a convention, and a large county could vote with numerous delegates for the establishment.

I believe we should close the primary, so that only registered Republicans can vote for the Republican, and the grassroots works to register R's, making the arguments on the street level.

What say you?

[Darren McCarty]

Call lists. That's the motivation right there. They can then sell that information to third parties for even more money.

Money talks at state party.

[cripplecreek]

I can accept being put on a call list if it means a closed primary that democrats can’t screw with but this is the call list with an open primary.

[Springman]

Worthless, we’ll still have the Rats picking our nominee.

[garyb]

Closed primary.

[quantim]

Seriously, please lay out your platform where Brooks Patterson has gone wrong.

This is shocking to me coming from you in the big picture.

[cripplecreek]

Brooks Patterson opposed allowing open carry by “gun zealots” at the beats and eats festival in Royal Oak last year.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2574096/posts

[Beagle8U]

Even if the RATS have a primary challenger, they have a convention before every primary election to choose their candidate that the party is backing. They have already picked their candidate before the open primary.

Then they vote for a RINO in our primary.

It is insane to have an open primary in Mi with that system in place.

[Darren McCarty]

That was only in reference to the races chosen at conventions if I remember right. Attorney General, Secretary of State, Supreme Court, university trustees.

The RINO threat in our primary however is real as can be. Rick Snyder. McCain 2000. Joe Schwarz 2004.

[Gosh I love this neighborhood]

CLOSE THE PRIMARY.

[Beagle8U]

Nope, they chose Bernero over Dillon at their convention before the primary for Governor. That way they were able to cross-over and vote for RINO Rick in the open primary.