It is a line that has been thrown out for a long, long, long…long, time. Members of the local county central committee should remain “neutral” in primaries.
It is logic that has never, ever made sense to me. I’ve said it before, but I compare it to coaching a basketball team and not being able to attend tryouts to pick your players — instead just going with whatever someone else chooses for you.
Primaries are THE time to be vocal. The wrong Republican can be just as damaging as a Democrat — especially if the Democrat is only in office for two years and the wrong Republican is there for 10 or 20.
The good news is, the whole “stay neutral in primaries” rule is out the door for good. Or at least it is for our Republican Party “leaders” in Iowa.
A number of them, for instance, have endorsed Sen. Chuck Grassley for re-election despite the primary challenge by State Sen. Jim Carlin. They’re trying to just ignore the primary. They don’t want to pay it any credibility.
So, while party leaders have for years told conservatives to stay neutral in primaries, they’re certainly not heeding their own advice. I’d be willing to bet the farm on the fact President Donald J. Trump’s “endorsement” of Grassley had nothing to do with Trump and everything to do with the advice Trump was given by the Republican Party of Iowa leadership, Eric Branstad (Trump’s Save America Iowa man) and other establishment Republicans in Iowa.
That endorsement literally contradicts everything Trump has said since November of 2020. Everything.
But what these Republicans are doing by throwing their weight behind their preferred candidate is cut the GOP base out of the process. They are attempting to influence the race with their power and “prestige” while hoping grassroots conservatives remain “neutral.”
A lot of elected Republicans really don’t mind centralized power — as long as they themselves are at the center and in power.
There are a number of reasons for Grassley to face a primary opponent — his vote to certify the 2020 election, his statement that Trump can’t lead the GOP, his statement that Mike Lindell is a liar, his statement he is looking forward to the Biden agenda, his statement that he hopes the infrastructure bill passes because Biden needs a win, his vote for the infrastructure bill, his previous support for Red Flag gun laws — I’ll stop there. I think the point has been made.
That is plenty of reason to warrant a primary — and a legitimate one at that. But these Republicans racing to endorse Grassley are hoping he can take a bypass around the primary straight to the general election if the “elected elites” all line up behind him.
It flies in the face of the old “iron sharpens iron” idea. You know, the biblical one.
It is fine that these elected elites endorse Grassley. As I said earlier, the primary is the time to pick what you believe is the best option. Now, I would argue many of them are making an endorsement for corrupt reasons, but that will be another article for another day — probably tomorrow.
Conservative Iowans should take heed, however, and realize there is no need to be silent or “neutral” in primaries any longer. Stand up. Speak out. Be loud and get vocal. Let everyone know who you are supporting.
Neutrality is not an option. The country is not going to save itself. And, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the status quo GOP isn’t going to save it either. The reality is we have one party working to fundamentally transform America and another party working to slow the fundamental transformation of America.
Neither one is truly focused on stopping it, let alone returning America to the common sense of yesteryear.
America is not going to be saved by career politicians. Especially politicians who are benefitting from the current system. Everyone in power has the same goal — to stay in power.
They’re not going to change the rules for how power is obtained when they are the ones holding the power.
It’s going to take a heck of an effort and it’s going to have to come from grassroots conservatives. If it’s going to start somewhere, it will start in Republican primaries.
