NCGOPe tripling down in defense of primary-meddling

We’ve caught them doing it in the state Court of Appeals race.  They’ve been exposed nationally taking the unprecedented move of taking sides in a contested United States Senate primary.  Instead of taking a conciliatory tone and making conciliatory, unifying moves, the GOPe is denying meddling and claiming they are merely partaking in joint-fundraising that will benefit any and all GOP candidates. 

Many NCGOP leaders I’ve talked to – who, by the way, are blessed with eyes and ears and common sense – are not buying the *joint-fundraising* spin.  A petition demanding internal, formal investigative proceedings is circulating among North Carolina’s Republican leaders across the state.

There was a meeting of the NCGOP Central Committee — one of the state party’s two governing bodies — last Saturday.  A motion was offered to recommend investigative proceedings against the state’s three RNC reps for their role in OK-ing the meddling in primaries.  (The motion died for lack of a second. )

Here’s one leading in-state Republican whose thoughts seem to reflect what many, many others are thinking:

“Do they think we’re stupid?  I think they DO. They say the moves they make are for the benefit of Whatley, Don Brown or anyone else who wants to jump into the Senate race.  Yet, they’re out there organizing events and doing things just for Mike Whatley.

 They’re leaning on media, consultants and other campaign professionals to pretend there will be no primary and that’s it already time for the general election.  You’re done as far as the party is concerned if you even note that there is a choice besides Whatley. 

They’re lecturing other folks in the party about even appearing to meddle in primaries, but are openly doing it themselves.

Primaries are some of the few chances where average party members get their say on who leads them.  The party establishment is trying to snatch that chance away.  People ought to be hopping mad about that.  This is not what I signed up for.  It’s not what a lot of folks signed up for.”