Dakota Beacon

I have a confession to make… I was a leader in two campaigns using the primary to defeat the NDGOP state convention endorsed candidate in the primary.

The years were 2012 when Kevin Cramer skipped the convention went straight to the primary.  He won the primary for Congress and who now serves as a U.S. Senator.  The other was 2016 when Doug Burgum defeated Wayne Stenehjem.

While I was involved in both these elections, it was not as a state party elected official.  

State law allows for any candidate to gather signatures and to have their name placed on the primary ballot and compete to be the party’s candidate.  The winner then becomes the party’s candidate in the general election.  This is true for both the Democrat and Republican parties.

These two campaigns are driving the current debate on which process; state convention or primary is best to determine who will represent the party in the fall general election.  

Today the rules of the state party allow for both but ultimately the primary winner goes to the general election.

I stand by the fact that the district and state party have an obligation to support the endorsed candidate as the state party did in 2012 and 2016.

This is the quandary of the party – allow the convention to be irrelevant and be nothing more than a pep rally or consider changing the rules so that the primary is not a vehicle for candidates to circumvent the convention process.

One of the arguments against conventions is that it can easily be manipulated by the local district chairman/committee as they appoint delegates, rather than an honest, open fair election of delegates.  

This happens when people don’t show up and get involved in the process and allowing the district chairman or executive committee to hand select the delegates of their choice.

We have all seen this happen.

Some say the primary allows for a broader base of supporters but it does allow for nonparty believers to cross over and vote for the other party’s candidate (you have to vote straight ballot) and influence who the candidate is.  It also gives a significant edge to someone with wealth to buy the primary or celebrity candidates to defeat underfunded candidates.

It is really up to the party to decide what process they want.  I believe the party can challenge state law and eliminate the primary as an option for a candidate to be the party’s endorsed candidate.

The First Amendment:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Someone who is involved in a political party does so by exercising their First Amendment rights of free speech and right to assemble.  

Government can in NO way dictate their will on this process if the state party doesn’t want it to.  Hence state law regarding primaries would be thrown out if any state party chooses to ignore.

Being involved at the local precinct or district is what helps build the state party organization and infrastructure.  I have been disappointed as we have seen district and state parties move away from grassroots involvement.  One reason this has occurred is by the elimination of many of the precincts across the state and country.  Parties have been weakened by turning over campaigns to consultants and the political industrial complex (that does happen in North Dakota).

This is why I have been heartened by the large turnouts at the district conventions.  

The Republican party should be celebrating the turnout and involvement.

The democrat party is not having the turn out and success like Republicans because there is no passion or interest in the ideals they espouse.

Which is why, we as Republicans, need to encourage participation and rigorous debate on the issues and policies.  

It is what we believe that matters.  

I am encouraged by what Florida's U.S. Senator Rick Scott has promoted as a set of principles and policies to win on in 2022.

Click Link Below in Red:

NRSC Campaign Policy 2022 Election 

Let me know your thoughts on these 11 election principles.