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Politics : MITT ROMNEY -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: GROUND ZERO™ who wrote (762)	2/4/2008 10:05:17 AM
From: sandintoes	Respond to of 5586

California Republicans Limit Their Primary To Those Registered in Party by FOXNews.com Sunday, February 3, 2008 About 34 percent of voters in California are registered Republicans, and are the only voters allowed to cast ballots in the Republican presidential race on Tuesday. California Republicans changed the rule last year to close the primary to prevent independents from participating. Now, voters who register as independents may participate only on the Democratic ballot. State Republicans say this is to ensure that independents don’t band together and intentionally vote in a weak candidate. “It’s not unusual. Twenty-three other states have closed primaries. Most that have registration by party have closed primaries. What we’ve seen recently is people joining our party specifically so they can vote in the primary,” said California Republican Party chairman Ron Nehring. Political analysts say this could give Democrats an unfair leg up in the California primaries. Some Republicans in the Golden State agree. “For the party as a whole, we are a party of inclusion and not exclusion,” said Joyce Stoer Cordy, a support of John McCain. “I think we need to walk the walk as well as talk the talk. We need to be open to new ideas and demonstrate that at the ballot box, we’re allowing independent voters to be included in the primary process.” In California, the number of people who decline to register with a party has soared to 19 percent. That leaves about 43 percent of voters registered Democrats in a state in which independent voters tend to reflect the majority view — conservative on fiscal matters, more liberal on social issues. Political consultant Hal Dash said the decision to exclude independent voters could play to the Democratic Party’s advantage by allowing Democrats to argue that the GOP doesn’t want them.”Why would you want to shut the door at the beginning when you have the opportunity to be able and welcome some numbers? If I was the California Republican Party, I’d want anybody I could get given their shrinking numbers,” he said. Nehring said the primary rules should not impact the GOP’s ability to attract independents “It’s how you run a general election campaign that ultimately matters at the end of the day,” he said, noting that the GOP will “aggressively go after … voters voters who may not traditionally have identified with our party.” FOX News’ Casey Stegall contributed to this report. youdecide08.foxnews.com