2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: What do Hillary Supporters have against open primaries? [View all]Fuddnik
(8,846 posts)Usually the most extreme Republican runs unopposed in the General.
The Democrats down here, except for a few gerrymandered "safe" seats won't or can't recruit a candidate for dog catcher (Mosquito Control down here). The primaries are technically "open" where both parties can vote in the primary of one party. But, the primary becomes closed to a single party if there is any "opposition", including a "write in" candidate. Yes, you have to file to run as a write in candidate, before qualifying, usually in late April, to run as a write in candidate in November. If you're not filed, any votes for you in November are tossed out.
Even though our, corrupt, incompetent party can't recruit a candidate down here (who would want to run, when they won't support you, anyway?) the repubes usually put up a "write in", usually a 80 yo gate guard, or a 20 yo newspaper delivery person, to close the primary.
Usually the most hard core, right wing repukes show up for the primaries, and any halfway sane or moderate repub goes down in flames.
And people wonder how we got this insane legislature, and congressional delegation.