JC: Public Can’t Stomach Party Purity

(U.S. Rep. Pat) Toomey came within an eyelash of upsetting Pennsylvania’s GOP Senator-for-life Arlen Specter in the 2004 Republican primary. Specter jumped to the Democrats to avoid a 2010 primary rematch. A funny thing, though: Even safe Republican districts often can’t stomach the club’s ideological purist candidates. After Republican primary voters ousted moderate incumbents in Maryland and Michigan, their districts elected Democratic congressmen. Rep. Bill Sali, a club favorite elected to Congress in 2006, was so extreme as to do the impossible — lose a House race to a Democrat in Idaho. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery. If Moore and Toomey were to watch our local election, they would see Seattle’s political left mimicking litmus test tactics of the right/ Joel Connelly , Seattle P-I. More here .

Question: In Seattle, the political left is applying litmus tests of party purity for City Council candidates. In Idaho, Republican Party purists are demanding closed primaries. Do you want candidates to be diehard partisans for either major party?