CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Republican Party Executive Committee voted two years ago to close this year’s primary to registered Republicans only—the GOP committee meets Saturday in Charleston where it’s expected an attempt will be made to keep the Republican primary open to independent voters.
Veteran West Virginia Republican political strategist Greg Thomas is urging county-level organizations that disagree to ask more questions this weekend. For a major change like this, Thomas believes the party faithful across the state should be able to see the data behind the decision that was made two years ago.
“I would ask the other side to show me data as to why this is a good idea,” Thomas said. “Show me on paper in numbers how this is going to help the West Virginia Republican party and conservatives.”
Former U.S. Senator Joe Manchin. a lifelong Democrat until he switched his resignation to unaffiliated in 2024, said this weekend we’ll confident Republican leadership will be with the supermajority. Manchin said becoming exclusive could send the GOP back to the minority in the future.
“Their committee will have a chance this weekend—are you going to close it or are you going to keep it open? Manchin asked. “They should think about that long and hard because history will repeat itself.”
Monongalia County Republican Executive Committee Chairman Dale Sparks believes closing the primaries will discourage voter participation and send voters to another party. Sparks believes there will be more support to open the primaries this weekend.
“Things have changed a lot in two years,” Sparks said. “Since 1986 the primaries have open- that’s 40 years so why are we closing them now- that’s the question?”
There are more than 19,000 unaffiliated registered voters in Monongalia County.
Several county GOP executive committees have passed resolutions in recent days reaffirming their support for a closed primary.
“We felt that it was important for our committee to make a stand to share that with the other people that are on the state executive committee and to let them know how we stand as a grassroots committee,” Kanawha County Executive Committee Chair Donna Caruthers told MetroNews after a committee vote earlier this week.
The Jackson County Republican Executive Committee took a similar vote Thursday.
Thomas said the Republicans are walking into a self-made trap that in the end will benefit the minority party. Closing the primary sends a negative message that different ideas or policies are not welcome.
“If I were a Democrat and I were to ask what is the quickest way for the Republican party to lose the supermajority, it would be for the Republicans to close their primary,” Thomas said.
Manchin said exercising control rather than encouraging competition is not a good look in the politics of today. Listening to new ideas and voices will draw new candidates and new voters that would carry the party into the future.
“I’m just telling my friends that if you don’t pay attention to history, it will repeat itself and if you think you have a lock on everything, you won’t continue that,” Manchin said.