Selecting Presidential Nominees by National Primary: An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
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Bruce E Altschuler
Despite many years of polls indicating overwhelming support for a national primary, it has never advanced far either in Congress or the parties. Opponents have claimed that it would eliminate the possibility of dark horse candidates building on early successes in small states, would dramatically increase the influence of money and mass media, weaken political parties and increase the possibility that a fringe candidate would win the nomination. This article finds that all these arguments apply at least as well to the current system. By simplifying the system, increasing voter turnout, making all votes equally meaningful and leading to a more representative electorate, a national primary would eliminate many of the serious flaws of the current system and therefore should be more seriously considered than it has been.
©2011 Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin/Boston
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Introduction
- Special Issue: The Politics of Presidential Selection
- Article
- The Iowa Caucuses, 1972-2008: A Eulogy
- Handicapping the 2008 Nomination Races: An Early Winter Prospectus
- Political Parties in Rough Weather
- Don't Blame Primary Voters for Polarization
- Selecting Presidential Nominees by National Primary: An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
- Presidential Nominating Conventions: Past, Present and Future
- On the Air: Advertising in 2004 as a Window on the 2008 Presidential General Election
- Commentary
- The European Union, Turkish Limitations, and American Disinterest
- Review
- Glory Days: A Review of Bruce Miroff's The Liberals' Moment: The McGovern Insurgency and the Identity Crisis of the Democratic Party
- The Heart of the Problem: A Book Review of The Liberals' Moment by Bruce Miroff
- Response or Comment
- Response to Kenneth Baer and Elaine Kamarck
- Response to Bruce Miroff
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Introduction
- Special Issue: The Politics of Presidential Selection
- Article
- The Iowa Caucuses, 1972-2008: A Eulogy
- Handicapping the 2008 Nomination Races: An Early Winter Prospectus
- Political Parties in Rough Weather
- Don't Blame Primary Voters for Polarization
- Selecting Presidential Nominees by National Primary: An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
- Presidential Nominating Conventions: Past, Present and Future
- On the Air: Advertising in 2004 as a Window on the 2008 Presidential General Election
- Commentary
- The European Union, Turkish Limitations, and American Disinterest
- Review
- Glory Days: A Review of Bruce Miroff's The Liberals' Moment: The McGovern Insurgency and the Identity Crisis of the Democratic Party
- The Heart of the Problem: A Book Review of The Liberals' Moment by Bruce Miroff
- Response or Comment
- Response to Kenneth Baer and Elaine Kamarck
- Response to Bruce Miroff
