Democrats could determine Republican primaries

The "Old Hog Farmer" was often fond of telling me – in true Will Rogers fashion: "I don't belong to any organized political party, that's why I'm a Democrat."

The late Professor Bill Horne would, I am quite certain, have an opinion on the rare opportunity that is awaiting traditional Highland County Democrats on Tuesday, May 6.

While there are no contested Democratic races in Highland County in this year's primary, don't think for an instant that all Democrats are going to stay home. Some will vote – while praying they do not die a Republican. Believe it.

In fact, should the Highland County Democratic Party decide to get really organized in the next few weeks, it could determine the outcome of several races.

As The Highland County Press reported in February (see http://www.highlandcountypress.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=21672&SectionID=2&SubSectionID=20&S=1), according to the Highland County Board of Elections, a registered voter of any party may switch party affiliation and vote for his or her candidate of choice in the May 6 Republican primary race for sheriff or any other contested primary.

Should a registered Democrat wish to vote in the Republican primary, he or she simply would need to request a Republican ballot on May 6 and sign a "party change form."

Under Ohio election law, you declare your political party affiliation by requesting the ballot of a political party in a partisan primary election.

Thus, with no local contested Democratic races, the party of Jefferson and Jackson has before it a unique opportunity to impact this year's Republican primary races for:

• Highland County sheriff, between Donnie Barrera and Richard Warner;

• Highland County commissioner, between Jeff Duncan, David Gingerich, Fred Kay and Peter Pence; and,

• The 91st House District race for state representative, between Barb Cole and Cliff Rosenberger.

How so?

Glad you asked.

Democrats could, very easily, walk into the voting booths on Tuesday, May 6 and simply request a Republican ballot.

By temporarily changing their registration, Democrats, if organized, could select the next Highland County sheriff. (The GOP primary will – barring any political surprises – determine this race.)

By temporarily changing their registration, Democrats, if organized, could select the Highland County Republican commissioner candidate who will face Randy Mustard in the Nov. 4 general election.

By temporarily changing their registration, Democrats, if organized, could select the next 91st House representative.

Without a doubt, the local Democratic Party has a golden opportunity to rock the political majority's boat on May 6. Republicans have to be more than a bit uneasy about that.

If you don't think so, just go back to the 2000 Republican presidential primary between George W. Bush and John McCain.

Leading up to the South Carolina GOP primary, Bush claimed that Democrats were switching party affiliation in order to back McCain, who was viewed as an easier target for Al Gore.

As the Los Angeles Times reported (see http://articles.latimes.com/2000/feb/14/news/mn-64300): "Bush and his surrogates claimed – without offering proof – that Democrats were trying to skew the results of the GOP primary, in which non-Republicans will be allowed to vote. 'The only thing I'm concerned about is that Democrats flock into the Republican primary to decide who the Republican nominee is, and then head back for the Democrats in the general election,'" Bush said on NBC-TV's 'Meet the Press.'"

McCain countered by saying: "Everybody knows that if you're going to win a general election, you have to have those Independents and some Democrats."

Still, if you can win in the primary or choose your party's opponent in the fall, the general election could become little more than a formality.

And let's not forget the 2012 Republican presidential primary.

Just two short years ago, Mitt Romney criticized fellow Republican Rick Santorum for encouraging Democrats to vote in the Michigan Republican primary.

As reported by Politico.com's Maggie Haberman (see http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/02/romney-also-said-he-voted-in-dem-primaries-to-influence-115774.html):

"The Romney campaign has been denouncing Democratic efforts – and now those by Rick Santorum – to get Democrats to vote in Michigan's open primary. Mitt Romney himself called it a 'new low' in politics.

"'President Obama's re-election team is now actively engaged in changing the outcome of the Republican primary," declared Romney campaign manager Matt Rhoades, even before the news of the Santorum calls emerged, and when it was just the Democrats making the push. 'This is politics at its worst. It doesn't get much more pathetic.'

"Yet Romney himself gave a similar explanation for why he cross-over voted in the 1990s in Massachusetts, per this ABC News clip: 'Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney offered a new explanation for why he supported a Democrat in 1992. That year, Romney, then a registered Independent, voted for former Sen. Paul Tsongas in the 1992 Democratic presidential primary. He told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on 'This Week,' that his vote was meant as a tactical maneuver aimed at finding the weakest opponent for incumbent President George H.W. Bush.'"

In other words, what's good for the goose is good for the propagander. (Or something like that.)

There's also been a push, of late, for a local, all-Republican political debate in advance of the May 6 primary.

Barb Cole, a Tea Party conservative who is challenging incumbent Cliff Rosenberger, asked me this week if I thought the AAUW (American Association of University Women) would host a debate or candidates forum for the eight Republican candidates for the offices of sheriff, commissioner and state representative.

I replied that I do not speak for the AAUW.

When I shared Barb's request with an AAUW member, I was informed that after last October's debate – which many local Republicans boycotted – the organization was at least temporarily removing itself from the longstanding AAUW Candidates Forum.

Rightly or wrongly, last fall's concerted effort by several Republican candidates to avoid public scrutiny (see: http://www.highlandcountypress.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=20065&SectionID=4&SubSectionID=400&S=1) could have residual negative effects on some of today's Republican candidates.

Today's candidates can thank party "leadership" for any lingering dissension in the aftermath of the October 2013 AAUW forum boycott.

Where Highland County once had a strong and confident Grand Old Party, with candidates for office who were unafraid to share their opinions and ideas, today's roster includes too many who adhere to the mind-set of "We don't do debates anymore. We play Spin City instead."

Ahh, but don't worry about it. You can stop sweating in 40 days and 40 long nights.

Rory Ryan is publisher and owner of The Highland County Press.