#ncga: The “sore loser” shenanigan
As predicted, the “honorables” moved to protect themselves from the “scary” Constitution Party. Here’s the relevant passage in that same bill that appears to reward David Lewis’s buddy:
The underlined verbiage is what got added during the sausage-making process.
It’s amazing how this concern suddenly arises. I don’t remember any of this when the Greens qualified for the ballot. (All I remember is a bunch of giggling on the GOP side of the aisle.)
The folks with The Constitution Party are not happy, as expected, and are mulling the idea of taking the Jones Street crowd to court.
I talked with some folks who were intimately involved in the debate on this legislation. I’ll have to admit that there were some surprising folks who ended up backing that provision.
One source explained to me:
“This doesn’t ban people from participating in the new party. It keeps them from switching parties and then running again in the same cycle for the same office they just lost a race for. Lost a GOP primary for Senate? You can switch parties and run with the Constitution Party for House in November. And vice-versa.
I think this encourages them to steer clear of losers right off the bat. They need to focus on finding quality candidates for winnable races. They don’t need to repeat the mistakes of The Libertarian Party who have evolved into basically kamikazes, kooks, and spoilers.”
I think this is no different than economic protectionism or carving out a special loophole to benefit you and your friends. It’s incumbent protection.
As long as you are legally eligible to vote, and meet the age and residency requirements, you should be allowed to spend your money and work yourself to death in any election you want.
I think the Constitution Party can be good for the NCGOP. The CPNC is embracing a platform that the GOP has thrown to the wind and ignored since it took power in Raleigh and DC. The big difference between the parties? The Constitution Party actually expects its candidates to abide by the platform. 
Dallas and the gang appear to have decided to campaign on “spending more money than the Democrats” headed into November.
PACs that have benefited from all this generosity from the majority in Raleigh have stepped in to replace the party in primaries. They’ve racked up quite a record so far of bludgeoning anyone daring to stand and fight on the concepts of principles and party platforms.
Conservatism, and not the cute little elephant mascot, brought the GOP to power in Raleigh and DC. Perhaps the CPNC will be helpful in ushering the Republicans back to their former selves. Or by showing the GOP the door that leads to that magical place called IRRELEVANCE.
Do you mean the rainbow elephant that elects candidates that support Planned Parenthood and the LGBT community. I see zero difference between the Republican Party and the Democrat Party.
The shameful surrender on HB2 is still hurting our party’s credibility with Christian conservative voters. David Lewis was part of that, too. I wonder how motivated they will be to turn out in November?
David Lewis has always been a slimy corrupt establishment slug, but he looks like he is now going out of his way to earn a Constitution Party opponent for himself. The Constitutionality of this law is highly questionable.
I do not think it would be wise from Boswell’s perspective to do this, but using these over the top Banana Republic tactics to stop it is just appalling. It almost makes one ashamed to be in the same party with David “Papa Doc” Lewis..
JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF COCKY ARROGANCE THAT OUR SO CALLED PEOPLE’S REPRESENTATIVES ARE GOOD FOR..KEEP THE POWER ANYWAY YOU CAN BUT AS LONG AS IT IS GREEN PARTY OK BUT NOT CONSTITUTION PARTY WAY TO GO HARNETT COUNTY REP DAVID LEWIS ASHAMED TO SAY PLACE OF MY FATHERS BIRTH
Some things are highly predictable in politics. That the Constitution Party would make a play to bring Boswell onto their ticket after the dirty gutter smear campaign the establishment ran against her in the GOP primary was one. It is doubtful in my mind that she would take the bait, however. It would benefit the Constitution Party, in getting a sitting member of the legislature into their party, more than it would benefit Boswell’s political future.
Lewis’s ham fisted cram down politics, however, has probably now put three legislative races at the top of the Constitution Party target list; his own, Boswell’s seat, and the Senate seat they were trying to recruit Boswell for. That is just highly predictable.
Apparently Dallas was worried Michelle Lexo might run on that ticket too after being treated like she was by McInnis and the Republican Senatorial Committee.
This law should now be called the Sorehead law, because its current language is there because some establishment legislators are sore that the Constitution Party got on the ballot.
Instead of this crap, they ought to be figuring out how to work the new political landscape in North Carolina by adopting either the New York cross endorsement model or the Australian preferential ballot model.
They also ought to figure out that the best way to deal with this challenge is to start running conservative candidates, not opportunists. Dan Forest for governor and Mark Meadows for US Senate will be a great start.
Here is another problem. The current election law for staying on the ballot is based on votes in the governor’s race, which almost obligates parties to run candidates for that office and try to attract as many votes as possible. Normally Dan Forest would likely be the sort of candidate with Constitutional principles who could get a party like this to stand down in that race, but the election law puts them in a box where they really cannot do that. Perhaps some alternative measures to stay on the ballot would allow them to stand down for a good GOP candidate like Dan Forest in the governor’s race. Of course, either the cross-endorsement model or the preferential ballot model would also mean these votes would not be lost to Forest. If we are going to beat Soros lackey Roy Cooper, this issue needs to be dealt with.
At best, the result of this “legislation” will merely bide time for the swap.
It will not postpone indefinitely those who claim to be champions of the constitution, of conservative principles, and of representing the people of North Carolina from finally being accountable to their conservative constituents.
The GOP would be wise to adhere to their platform and their promises, or we will gladly replace them with representatives who will.
That is the reaction that could do the GOP a lot of good. Start standing up for he principles the party sets out that it believes in. If the special interests what favors that contradict GOP principles, like the solar goons often do, then tell them to take a hike!
Nominating candidates who stand on principle like Dan Forest, Mark Meadows, and Dale Folwell instead of wishy-washy candidates who drift with the breeze like Tillis, Burr, and McCrory would work wonders.
With all do respect its unfair for someone who got beat to take another stab at defeating someone they just lost too. The only reason you do that is to ensure they lose (meaning the Dem wins). Its angry and short sighted. Of course if Pittman’s primary opponent ran under a new banner and peeled off enough votes to ensure Pittman’s loss to a Dem, you’d be okay with it?
That is the existing law. What this bill does is to also prevent comeone in that situation from running in a DIFFERENT race. That is a bridge too far.
So, this bill is to make sure any of those conservative constitutionalists that the GOPe worked so hard to dirty trick out of the general election in a Republican primary cannot be on the ballot in ANY election under ANY party banner.
Where is dictatorial powers of party bosses in the Constitution?
Ruh Roh. Looks like if they try to pass this legislation, Dems and conservative Republicans might not permit an override to Cooper’s veto.