Primary Races


American politics uses The Water Fountain Principle. 
When one person is at the water fountain, a line may form. 
But seldom is the drinker urged to move along so others can get a drink. 
They stand and wait, wait, wait their turn. Glug, glug, glug. 

Many elected officials treat their position as their personal water fountain. 
But elected offices belong to the citizens of the United States, not to office-holders. Swamps are created when even good water sits in one place too long. 
Citizens have a right to make any political primary a challenged race. 
The water fountain mentality is not the best way to lead a Republic. 

This is why I am encouraging contested GOP Primary races against members of Congress who are not solidly pro-Trump. 
I have heard that rumble of discontent thriughout the country. We need pro-life, pro-Constitution, pro-American, pro-Trump candidates. 
And we should expect that all involved would act with ‘civic grace’, as Cory Booker says, and welcome this expression of grass roots politics. 

Imagine if any college football coach were asked what kind of lineup there is for quarterbacks for the upcoming season, if he said, 
“Oh, we don’t challenge resident quarterbacks. If he played last year, he automatically gets the position until he graduates. 
And we don’t hold scrimmages between offense and defense squads. That would not reflect a unified football team.” 
How would that sit with college football fans? 

Primaries are to politics what scrimmages are to football teams. It's tough to win a championship without scrimmages. 
I see a lot of value in contested primaries: 

1) Primaries help voters see which candidates best know who they are and what their goals are. Real leaders have real convictions. 
2) Primaries bring out good ideas that help our nation become greater. Even unsuccessful candidates inject their political DNA into our Republic.  
     Washington DC is like an isolated third-world village where inbreeding becomes the norm. DC needs fresh DNA. 
3) With various strains of voter fraud being used and so many ‘Christians’ refusing to vote, it is a challenge for Republicans to win without the
     support of Independents. Primary exposure make Republican candidates more approachable to Independent voters. 
4) Primaries put candidates in a fighting mode necessary to win a general election. Scrimmage. 
5) Conflict brings attention, and primaries bring additional press coverage. 
    Trump won over many Independents and Democrats in that hotly-contested 2016 Primary. 
6) If we get Congressional term limits, contested primaries are a good way of exposing up-and-coming political talent to constituents. 
7) Republicans that vote in a contested primary are more likely to vote in the general election. 

How can anyone claim to love our form of government and yet hate contested primaries? 
Contested primaries, Voter ID and regulated ballots are the surest proof of truly free elections.

Eric J. Rose