"Now we'll just leave it up to the people"

Recently, the Warren County (NY) Republican Committee declined to endorse any one candidate for county sheriff this year.

I've never understood why the Politburo needed to endorse primary candidates anyway. GOP voters should be able choose who they want to be their standard bearer without interference from the central committee.

What happens when GOP voters reject the annointed candidate? This happened at least once during the last county election cycle and the Politburo was forced to support in the general election a candidate that it had repudiated before the primary.

And if the annointed candidate is defeated in the primary, shouldn't the Politburo resign after such a vote of no confidence by its own party members?

Also in the last election cycle, Chairman Mike* instituted loyalty oaths for committee members, making them promise they wouldn't campaign for anyone other than the Politburo's annointed candidate... not in the general election, but in the primary. In other words, Republican committee members couldn't campaign for a Republican!

(*-Then-party boss Mike O'Connor)

Of course, Warren County Republicans regularly get away with shenanigans like this, because there are about as many Republicans in Warren County as Democrats, smaller party voters and independents combined. And North Country Republicans, with rare exceptions, tend to vote the party line.

Why should I, a non-Republican, care?

The overwhelming majority of Republicans running for public office in Warren County do not have challengers. In most places outside of Glens Falls, the primary election is de facto the general election.

While the urge for absolute control is irresistible, it's not always even politically smart. With an overwhelming enrollment advantage, the main enemy of Republicans in most places is other Republicans. (The town of Queensbury being a good example). About the only way non-Republicans can win is if Republicans are divided.

These bullying tactics of the GOP Politburo are not only undemocratic, but they do not seem to make for smart politics because they foster resentment and division. If they can't unite themselves, how can they unite the rest of us? Accordingly, three Democrats have won countywide in the last four years, something which would've been unthinkable a decade ago.

When sheriff challenger Bud York responded to vote by saying, "Now we'll just leave it up to the people," he was making a revolutionary utterance by the standard of the Warren County GOP.

Leave it up to the people? It's about time.