Arizona Republican Party activists, not content with doling out censures like Snickers bars, has come up with yet another genius plan to kneecap the party’s prospects in the 2024 election.
The Maricopa County Republican Committee’s Executive Guidance Committee is demanding that the party stage its own presidential preference primary next March, telling state and county elections officials to butt the heck out.
It seems the party’s esteemed county leaders don’t trust the people who run elections to, well, run elections.
And really, why would they, having embraced every whack-a-doo conspiracy theory invented to rile up the MAGA faithful?
(See their Aug. 23 Resolution to Reclaim Election Integrity in Arizona’s 2024 Presidential Preference Election, wherein they claim that in 2022 “hundreds of thousands of illegitimate ballots were counted, as proven in court.” Judge who threw out that claim says “whaaaat?”)
A paper-only, hand-count election?
Cue the county party’s chairman:
“After our election was stolen from our beloved president Donald J. Trump in 2020, thousands of Americans across this country stood up to get in the fight for real election integrity, real election reform,” MCRC Chairman Craig Berland said, in a video explaining the county party’s demand.
“Then we watched in 2022 as our election were once again stolen. For example, Kari Lake was denied her rightful place in the governor’s seat.”
“To,” as Berland put it, “hold the election for our presidential nominee by the people, for the people. One day, one vote, paper ballots, hand count, all at the precinct level.”
Sure, and we’ll get results by bedtime
So, let’s just review what this election by the people for the people will require.
No early voting from the convenience of your kitchen table. Never mind that fully 80% to 90% of voters prefer it.
Instead, Republicans will be heading to the polls on March 19 if they want to have a voice in their party’s nominee.
… continued