I had written about this previously.
There has been much discussion among North Carolina Republicans. Some want to have the presidential primary early in the campaign season in order to influence momentum. Some want to have the primary later (after March 15) to preserve the maximum number of delegates for the state party that can be directed toward one presidential candidate.
No one really knows which would be the best choice, because that would depend in part upon what happens in other states' primaries.
The national GOP has put the state party in a bind. This was purely intentional.
The national party wanted to revise some aspects of the presidential primary system. But it did not want to give southern states too much influence with regard to deciding the nominee.
The game was rigged; and southern states that presumed to schedule a primary earlier than the national party wanted would be penalized. They would have less delegates. And these delegates would be assigned proportionally to the various candidates according to their respective performance during the state primary.
If the state party is obedient and schedules a later primary-- as the national party would dictate-- you keep all your delegates, and it would be winner-takes-all.
Schedule an early primary-- and have far fewer delegates that would go to the victor.
Schedule a later primary-- and risk losing the possibility of influencing momentum.
It is a real dilemma for North Carolina Republicans. And the national party designed it that way. The objective was to nominate an establishment, moderate nominee; and the rules were designed to produce that outcome.
Comments