If only red flag laws could protect Republicans from shooting themselves in the foot.
It’s a common mishap amongst pachyderms on the right, but usually it’s just a flesh wound that doesn’t premaritally cripple the herd.
But now the GOP is loaded for bear with a vote planned Sept. 18 to end the party’s primary election that gives Colorado’s one million Republicans a vote in electing the party’s nominee.
Instead, nominee’s would be decided by the party’s state central committee, essentially stealing the vote from Republicans and slamming the door on independents as well.
And why is that the worst idea Colorado Republicans have embraced since mail-in voting?
Jon Caldara at Page Two puts it into perspective with this recap of what happened to the Libertarian Party after a state proposition passed in 2016 allowing independents to vote in party primaries.
When this change was made, the Libertarian Party chose to close their primary so only their leadership decided who would be on the general election ballot. I told them they were nuts. The state was going to send out their primary ballot to some 1.6 million unaffiliateds, at no cost to them, advertising there was a Libertarian Party. But being the purists they are, they refused. And thus, the Libertarian Party remains the dominant powerhouse party it is today.
It’s a bad idea because it limits future candidates to only those approved by the party’s inner-sanctum, and prohibits future candidates from petitioning their way onto the ballot through support from actual voters.
Meanwhile, they’re thumbing their collective noses at 1.6 million unaffiliated voters.
If the Colorado Republican Party really has their heart set on never winning another statewide office again, they will pull the trigger.
Otherwise, leave the primary in place and stop this steal.