Whose Vote "Counts" More this Primary Season?

Whose vote "counts" more this primary season?
by Michele Samuelson (michele.samuelson@gmail.com)

With all the anecdotes (and possible proof in the pudding) about the mass numbers of "crossover" voters in the Democratic primary, I'm left wondering what the effect will be on the Republican party. Starting, of course, with today's primary, where there are many important races down ballot.

The reasons given for crossover voting have ranged from wanting to ensure Barack Obama isn't the Democratic nominee because Republicans can't beat him in November, to the opposite, voting for Hillary Clinton, etc. Of course, this reasoning shows a basic lack of understanding about the primary process in Texas - first we primary, then we caucus. You have to participate in all of it to really have a say. Haven't you heard the "vote twice" commercials and robocalls? Plus, after you cast that ballot in a misguided attempt to help the eventual Republican nominee, you will be labeled a Democrat for two years. You will not be able to attend the Republican precinct, county/senatorial, and state conventions to help shape the platform and elect the leaders of our party this year. You will not be able to vote in any run-offs that occur down-ballot between Republicans vying for state legislative, county, city, etc. seats. There are Republican clubs that will exclude you henceforth because you voted in a Democratic primary.

Remember, in Texas, we don't register with a party. Our open primary system means that you can, by law, switch between parties at will. But this isn't about the law - it's about which party you want to be counted as a member of at 7:01pm today.

If you live in a county, like Travis, where there are few contested Republican races and the real decisions are being made down-ballot on the Democratic ballot, and you have no reason to believe you'll one day run for office, and you have no desire to be a participating Republican for two years, then by all means vote in the Democratic primary. If you don't meet those qualifications, however, you're risking an awful lot to vote for a person who doesn't even hold your values.

Now to the main point, concerning whose vote "counts" more this primary season. I'll venture to say that it is the Republican who votes Republican who matters. The Republican who looks down the ballot and casts a vote in important state legislative races, or in county commissioner, district judge, and even county chairman races. You will help decide if Texas remains a red state by choosing candidates who represent conservative values down the ballot.

If the only people who turn up to vote in Republican primaries in places like HD 61, where a good conservative is facing a liberal interloper with a pro-big-government agenda, are the tax-and-spend moderates and liberals of the party.....well. So long taxpayer agenda, so long conservative values. You'll end up with a RINO legislature if you're lucky and a liberal Democrat legislature otherwise.

Leave the Democratic primary to the Democrats. Republicans need to stick together in order to effect change at all levels. Then in November, cast your vote for the Republican nominee and get your friends to do the same. If you want to defeat Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton, there is no other way.

-- Michele J. Samuelson