It gives ammunition to the school of thought that political parties should have more power than they have now. That way the GOP could just tell Mr. Hart, "Thanks, but no thanks."

Well, from what someone at the RNC headquarters told a class when we were up in DC this spring, apparently, the RNC runs more grassroots than the DNC. The DNC wouldn't field a guy like this because they are very regimented.

But the RNC doesn't have that kind of top-down control structure (contrary to what the VRWC seems to point to).

And that's not my take. I'm just repeating what I was told by a top RNC press person (I forget her name. It's not one of those "unnamed sources" things).

Meh, it's people like this that prove the phrase "with friends like this, who needs enemies?". Stupid, lousy, racist so-and-so needs to crawl back under his rock, is what I'm saying. >:o(

Write in, write in, write in.

(what a sad and sorry mess)

Too bad they didn't practice eugenics on his family.

Anyone can run for office claiming membership in a Party. The real identifier is who gets support from the Party. I could, conceivably, run for office as a Democrat. There is nothing to keep me from putting an ass on my campaign literature and no legal way to keep me from putting a (D) behind my name. It is not even neccessary to vote in a Party's primary in order to run.

The national party has some money to throw at this campaign. If they can't field a candidate they should throw it against Hart by encouraging a write in candidate or better yet a vote for the Tanner.

In this case, being 'bipartisan' is supporting the 'best' candidate.

kestrel

I'm with Trench.

Peter, not sure where you live, but definitely not where I live. Central committee gives the green light to the candidate they deem appropriate here.

Jo, do you live in Tennessee, by chance? A central committee serving as gatekeeper like that seems unusual.

In Georgia, the parties are more involved than any other place I've ever lived, but even so it's just a formality -- one can only be refused a spot on the primary ballot if one is legally unqualified. And the party isn't always going to be in a position to know even that much.

Jo, if a candidate gets enough valid signatures on his/her's petition there is nothing a Party can do to prevent that candidate's name on the ballot. The Party's Committees, from the County Executive Committe all the way to the National Committee can vote to withhold Party funds, they cannot prevent someone from self-identifying as a Dem or Rep.
It's all part of the voting rights part of the civil rights movement.

I'm not going to get into an argument here, because it's too close to the bone. McGeehee, you're welcome to e-mail me, I'll tell you (or David is free to tell you privately). Peter, I will only say that this has been a difficult year and the situation spoken of here has happened right here in a campaign I am involved with. There are things that can force one to resign from PCP positions, etc. listed in precinct bylaws. Also, I think you are really underestimating the power of both parties.

Fact remains, Jo, unless you are in Tennessee, the rules where you live do not necessarily apply to this instance. Rules are different in different states, period.

I'm more referencing Peter's comments than yours, Kevin.

speaking of about due for a spanking, *sheesh*

Well, unless you and Peter live in the same state, his only error would be in assuming the rules he's talking about are the same everywhere.

Besides, I'm just trying to bid up this thread like the one FilthyCommie has been monopolizing. ;-)

He wouldn't monopolize. That would be far too capitalist in nature...