THE LOWDEN LINE

There are two competing thoughts on the proper role of the Republican Party when it comes to primary elections. The first is the one followed in Nevada, where the party stays out of primaries and then backs whichever candidate goes on to the general election.

The other, followed by other state parties, empowers central committee members to become more actively engaged in a leadership role in helping choose the best candidate to represent the party and its ideals in November. Those parties have nomination conventions where GOP candidates running against each other in primaries have to compete for the votes of convention delegates in order to get the party’s pre-primary endorsement and support.

This system forces Republican candidates to devote more time and attention to the grassroots workers and volunteers who help run the party’s precinct operations year in and year out. It also serves as a means of disciplining elected officials who stray too far from the party’s core principles, as occurred earlier this month in Minnesota.

Minnesota’s Legislature voted to raise gas and sales taxes for transportation projects (sound familiar?). Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty vetoed the tax hikes (sound familiar?). And three of House Republicans who voted with the Democrats lost their endorsements by party convention delegates two weeks ago to primary challengers. A candidate needs to get 60 percent of the vote to get the party’s official backing. One of the GOP tax-hikers “said it was devastating not to win the endorsement.”

Central Committee members are the leaders of the party. It’s my opinion that they should have a greater role in helping nominate the strongest candidates to go up against the Democrats, especially with Nevada’s primary elections occurring so late in the campaign season (August). I think it’s time to take a serious look at the Minnesota model. And that’s the Lowden Line.