California Republican Assembly leader Connie Conway.
Now we know why the California Republican party was so opposed to Prop 14, the open primary law. It has nothing to do with the democratic process and everything to do about money.
No room for Republican choice
California Assembly Republican leader Connie Conway is asking Republican second place finisher Andy Pugno to drop out of his 6th Assembly District race because he is facing the Republican top vote getter Beth Gaines. The Sacramento Bee reported that Conway, in a July 30th letter, asked Pugno to drop out of the race. Pugno had pledged before the primary that he would not run if the open primary race pitted him against another Republican.
Money over democracy
My choices for 6th Assembly: a conservative and an arch-conservative. What’s a Democrat to do?
It’s apparent that Conway doesn’t want Pugno’s fundraising activities to pull money away from other Republican candidates. From the reports, she is thinly balancing her call for Pugno to leave the race based on his pledge not to run an expensive campaign against another Republican opponent.
Party before democracy
By all means, let’s take away any competitive race in the 6th Assembly District because it will hurt Ms. Conway’s ability to raise money for other Republican candidates. Can we make the democratic process any less of a joke?
One is not a choice
Granted, Democratic party voters in the 6th Assembly District, along with other minority parties, will not have an alternative ballot choice come November with the top two finishers both Republican. However, you don’t just wipe away any competitive race based on the selfish interest of the dominant party to conserve campaign funds.
Let the voters decide
Ms. Conway, stay out of my Assembly District. Let Andy Pugno decide for himself whether he wants to keep his pledge not run against Beth Gaines. We don’t need your narrow self-interest destroying the democratic process.