Primary Canceled

For John, BLUF:  You are against Taxpayer funded Party Primaries, and now we have some Primaries being cancelled, but with no replacement mechanism.  Alternatives?  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Judge:  South Carolina GOP can cancel its 2020 primary

From The Associated Press, by Reporter Meg Kinnard, 11 December 2019.

Here is the lede plus three:

A judge on Wednesday upheld the South Carolina Republican Party’s decision not to hold a 2020 presidential primary, a move taken by several states in erecting hurdles for the long-shot candidates challenging President Donald Trump.

In her order, Circuit Judge Jocelyn Newman wrote the law “does not give Plaintiffs a legal right to a presidential preference primary, and the Court will not substitute its own judgment for that of the General Assembly or the SCGOP.”

Earlier this year, former South Carolina congressman Bob Inglis sued state Republicans, saying the party’s decision to skip a primary deprives him and others “of the ability to vote for the candidate of their choice in South Carolina’s famous (and particularly influential) ‘First in the South’ primary.”

South Carolina is among several states that have canceled Republican primaries and caucuses next year, an effort that helps Trump consolidate his support as Democrats work to winnow their large candidate field.  The move, taken September in South Carolina by the state party’s executive committee, is not unusual for the party of the White House incumbent seeking reelection.

Is it an advantage to the Citizens, the Voters, to have primaries and should the Government facilitate such events?

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff