The Nevada Senate Democratic Caucus announced it will back Tammy Peterson in the race for the state Senate seat held by Republican incumbent Barbara Cegavske.
She is, in the view of the Senate leadership, a “gold-plated candidate,” one state Senate insider said.
But she is not the only Democrat running for the state Senate seat. Another Democrat, Mark Brandon, a former college football star who has an insurance business in the district intends to run for the same seat.
I thought the rules precluded the Democratic Party from endorsing a candidate when two Democrats are competing in the primary election. (Note: The Democratic Party is a separate and distinct entity from the Democratic Party. I don’t know if the rules of the Nevada Senate Democratic Caucus prohibits endorsement of a candidate or not.)
For the official Democratic Party to announce it is backing a candidate in the primary phase of the election process makes it darned near impossible for another Democratic to run successfully.
If Democrat A is recruited to run by the NSDP then Democrat B, who wasn’t recruited by the NSDP, wants to run, then B is virtually out of luck, even if B is the more competent candidate. (Note: So far as I know the NSDP (Nevada State Democratic Party) does not endorse a candidate during the primary election.)
The NSDP, having recruited A, will put their resources behind A and ignore B, putting B at a huge disadvantage.
Of all things, the Democratic Party should be democratic, shouldn’t it?
A similar circumstance occurred here in Nye County last spring. The incumbent members of the county Central Committee decided not to run for re-election. Some “grassroots” Democrats, having toiled diligently in the Obama vs. Clinton primary election campaigns and awakened to political activity, wanted to run for seats on the Central Committee. It is a long story, but suffice it to say, the “old” Central Committee blocked the would-be candidates from eligibility to run for the offices, then endorsed for election the current members of the Central Committee who took office last April. Additionally the “old” Central Committee imposed such stringent voting restrictions that hardly any of the 9,000+ grassroots Democrats in Nye County were eligible to vote for new members of the “new” Central Committee.
The result of the actions of the “old” Central Committee has been a deep resentment and split in the Nye County Democratic Party which still persists.
Hardly the way to run an organized political party.
It is a sticky problem, however. Recruiting good, competent candidates for elective office is one of the most difficult goals of organized politics.
Witness the difficulty of the Republican Party trying to find a viable candidate to run against Senator Harry Reid. Or finding someone to run for Governor when Jim Gibbons says he’s going to run for re-election. The Republican Party is stuck with supporting Gibbons, an incompetent, when there are other Republicans intending to run against Gibbons.
The problem doesn’t help the voters, who, theoretically, are interested in electing the best possible and competent people to office. When either the Democratic Party or the Republican Party tie their hands with rules that closes the possibility for good candidates to even run it shrinks the field for voters to pick from.
There is a lot to be said for recruiting candidates but on the other hand there is a lot to be said for letting candidates bubble up on their own. At the same time allowing anyone and their dog to run allows any wingnut to run.
And, considering how poorly voters perform in making their voting picks, it leaves all of us in a precarious position.
[Source: Las Vegas Sun]
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I believe the Senate Caucus and Assembly Caucus operate independant from the State Party or local Central Committees. Although, they have to be chartered with their State or local Committee, their rules for candidate endorsements follow their governing By-laws and Charter. Don’t quote me but that is what I remember.
You are absolutely correct dakotagrl. I have updated the post and hopefully cleared up the impression I may have left. Thank you for spotting it.
I quite simply like every thing had to say. I’ve been thinking about starting a blogging site like this, but I just don’t know if I’d contain the tenacity and the momentum to continuously going day after day. I guess I absolutely need go for it if I totally want it! haha. Super on you for YOUR blog!
Well Art, deciding whether you want to start your own blog or not is a process every blogger has encountered. I think of it as a way to write a daily Letter to the Editor. For me it is a cathartic exercise. It also keeps me interested and sort of up to date on current events. It is a perfect way to occupy your time and mind with constructive thoughts. I often credit blogging with keeping me out of bars, poolhalls and casinos. Try it. You may find it grows on you.
.-= Featheriver´s last blog ..Nye County’s Negative Publicity =-.
I will be campaigning in Pahrump on October 27th. In the meantime, get background info from my website http://www.nancypriceforcongress.com. I don’t see it on this website. I look forward to meeting you and visiting with old friends. See you soon. nancy