Newt, Sarah and a New GOP

Take over the local party go to the meetings or caucuses and take them over. Then you can make the rules

Tried that -- even became a delegate! I spent a day with my local state representative, a republican, and asked him point blank who was in the "central committee" that made the rules, when and where did they meet and who gave them the power to change the rules at the last minute. He simply looked at me like I was nuts -- and NEVER answered the questions.

"So, I guess those busloads of SEIU members and residents from Massachusetts who drove into N.H. in the `08 primary, registered using fictitious N.H. addresses, voted for McCain and hopped on the busses to return home were just a figment of my imagination?"

Very likely. There are a lot of anecdotal horror stories about pretty much everything out there on the net. I have yet to see documented proof that anything like this has EVER even happened, much less had any effect on even a single election.

And what you are describing is voter fraud, not "cross-over" voting, which is what I had in mind.

I am opposed to any sort of taxpayer-funded party candidate selection process. Anything funded by tax dollars should be open to all voters. If the parties want to select candidates, they should arrange and finance their own process. The SOLE legitimate function of a taxpayer-funded primary is to reduce the number of candidates for a given office to a final choice of two.

And quite frankly, the vast majority of voters WANT such open primaries. The only people opposed are party hacks, trying to retain their influence over the process.

Agree 100%, esp considering this is a 1 year fill-in position. The seat is open again next Nov. In your scenario, assuming Hoffman ends up a strong 2nd, he is the natural “Republican” to compete for the seat next year. We all know that Obama’s policies will not have made things significantly better in 12 months, so the seat should remain quite competitive. And, Hoffman has already stated that he will run in ‘10 in this scenario.

WW-I appreciate your considered and well crafted response. However, I do recall news footage of buses of people pulling up to the polling places. Buses with Massachusetts plates.

I also recall very well the coordinated effort in 2000 to de-rail the Bush nomination by the left in their efforts to rally around McCain.

2012 will tell for both of us. Obama runs unopposed. Let’s see what mischief the open primaries and same day registration have in store for us.

for the first time in my life I have decided that 2010 and 2012 willnot just be a rubber stamp support the Republican candidate just because they are better than the D alternative.

The NY-23 race has shown what a unified conservative movement can do.

In 2010 and 2012 if the candidate in my district, state or nationally is not a conservative, I will find the conservative in the race to support.

Thank you Sarah Palin and Tim Pawlenty for opening my eyes and putting Ideology ahead of party!

I agree with your assessment.

I'm wondering if he hasen't thrown in the towel as far as the GOP goes near term. He might be playing trojan horse to sneak into power by an appointment from Obama or maybe even being the 2012 Democrat VP candidate.

Wierd I know but even Rush said he was baffled by Newt's recent actions.

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