An Argument Against Pre-Primary Endorsements

[Peter Trippett]

Dear Republican State Committee,

You are on the verge of gathering to decide whether the State Committee should endorse Primary Election candidates, or not. I am writing to point out why you should not endorse a candidate before the Primary Election.

 

A party endorsement is a powerful thing. The endorsement itself gives a candidate an advantage in the election, as many Republicans are likely to vote for the endorsed candidate. But, with the endorsement comes other forms of support: money, access to Party resources, man-power to help gather ballot petitions. Even the fact that many candidates openly state that they will not run if they do not receive the party endorsement is an indication as to how powerful that endorsement is.

 

Since an endorsement is made by a small group of people in the State Committee, it is clear that the endorsement power gives the State Committee a great deal of influence over an election. This power justifies the notions that the party is controlled by insiders; and that it is harder for a non-insider to run for office. It instills a sense of disenfranchisement in Republicans who do not support the endorsed candidate.

 

But beyond that, I ask you to consider carefully what the endorsement process leads to.

 

What are the attributes that are considered by the State Committee in making their endorsement decision? Since the primary purpose of the Republican Party is to get Republicans elected to office, it makes sense that the chief attribute is electability. After all, you can't restore principles to our government if you can't get a Republican elected, right?

 

That may be true, but I would also say that you can't restore principles to our government if the process of choosing our candidates selects for electability over principles.

 

This country is suffering from a combination of lack of principles; too much power concentrated in government; corruption and cronyism. As with most things in nature, the structure visible on the outside is reflected on the inside.

 

The State Committee's endorsement process concentrates power in a few central planners. It selects for other attributes over principles. It penalizes those who stand on principle, because those are the ones who would not give benefits to the majority by taking wealth from the minority - that stand is not considered very popular. And finally, it fosters corruption and cronyism, or at least the perception that those things are happening.

 

It is time for the Republican Party to stand for and restore the founding principles of this country. If those principles are no longer accepted by the people, then this country will join other republics in the scrap bin of history that failed when they abandoned their constitutions. Republicans can do that best by adopting those same principles within their own party, and by adopting a system that does not reject men of principle. Empower the members of your party, and let them choose their own candidates!