Process Shouldn’T Reward Mischief Stop Sabotage Crossover Voting Defeats The Purpose.

Contrary to news reports, George W. Bush won the real New Hampshire Republican primary. Among voters who identified themselves as Republican, the Texas governor finished slightly ahead of Sen. John McCain.

However, Independents and crossover Democrats boosted McCain to an easy win, puncturing Bush’s aura of invincibility and inevitability. With wide-open primaries looming ahead in Michigan, South Carolina, and Virginia, McCain should be able to surf the media-generated wave of enthusiasm for his candidacy further. He might even steal the nomination. And that’s not right.

Neither Democrats nor Republicans should be allowed to sabotage the other’s primaries by crossover voting. By definition, a primary is held to determine a party’s choice - not as a y’all-come dress rehearsal for the general election. The two main parties would be wise to promote a closed primary system nationwide. In some states now, voters must identify with a party to vote in its primary. Others hold caucuses. Washington uses a hybrid system - part caucus, part primary. None of these systems is perfect. But nominees usually represent their parties.

The abuse of the open primary system is seen clearly in Michigan, where some unions and delighted Democrats are urging followers to cross over to vote for McCain Tuesday. They know he won’t inspire Republican conservatives to knock on doors and lick envelopes for him this fall. In the long run, that’ll make McCain easier to beat than Bush.

The Republican Party has itself to blame for the McCain predicament. In the 1970s, the GOP opened its primary system in an effort to dilute the influence of party insiders and to broaden its appeal to independents and dissatisfied Democrats. This year, Republicans front loaded their primaries to enable their anointed standard bearer to score a quick primary knockout.

All that, of course, has backfired.

In South Carolina, polls show Republicans favor Bush by a twoto-one margin. But the race is too close to call because McCain is the overwhelming choice of independents and Democrats. With the Reform Party and other alternative parties available, independents should seek their own niche and leave the major parties alone. They don’t do any heavy lifting for the Republicans or Democrats. They shouldn’t be allowed to sabotage the results, either.