Liz Cheney and the curse of open primaries; Unless Wyoming Republicans turn out en masse, their state’s foul open primary system could return Liz Cheney to Congress.

 What sort of political thinking would come up with an open primary? Example: Joe Biden seems to me to be the product of Republicans voting in a Democrat primary; Cheney, Romney and Kinsinger would be big favorites among Democrats. TD

"If you’re familiar with my blog, you know that one of the things that makes me incandescent with rage is open primaries. This year, the open primary system has proven to be and will continue to prove to be, a disaster for Republicans.

"To understand how bad this is, we need a short discussion about traditional primaries versus open primaries. Under the old primary system (which still applies in a barely there majority of states), voters with allegiances to each party would have a chance to pick the person they believe best represents their values. Then, in November, thanks to debates and advertising, the voters, having been exposed to the two political ideologies from the best-situated representatives and make an informed vote.

"Sure, ideals and realities seldom match but, for many decades, after the party’s candidates stopped being selected in smoke-filled rooms by party insiders, it worked pretty well. Republicans got the conservative candidates of their choice; Democrats got the leftist candidates of their choice.

"That’s not how it works in open primary systems. Under the open primary system, there are, technically speaking, “Republican” and “Democrat” primaries, with candidates under both headings battling it out for dominance so that he or she can be the party’s representative in the November election. Under the noxious “open primary,” though, Democrats can vote for Republican primary candidates and Republicans can vote for primary candidates.

"The theory is that this system will force each party to run less extreme candidates than it might if it were campaigning only to its base. That is, the parties run “moderate” candidates so that people from the opposite party, if feeling a bit disaffected, can say, “Hey, I like the moderate cut of that opposing fellow’s jib. I think he ought to be on the November ballot.’

"Except that’s not what happens. What actually happens is that the smart party puts up on one candidate in the primaries, so no one in the party has a choice to make in the primary, and then tells its people to vote for the worst candidate on the other side. Admittedly, that may not happen in the average election but, since 2016, nothing’s been average anymore.". . .