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Sometimes what is front and center isn’t always what holds the most power, especially in politics and elections.
The flashy races matter, certainly. Who wins seats in the Legislature determines which bills advance and which never leave committee. Supreme Court elections may matter even more, because judges often shape public policy long after lawmakers have gone home… just ask anyone who views the latest election results as “conservatives losing the Court.”
But sometimes the races almost nobody notices end up having the greatest influence. West Virginia’s recent Republican executive committee elections may prove to be one of those examples. Most voters paid little attention to them. That may have been a mistake depending which camp you’re in.
Here’s why.
There is a determined movement – perhaps better termed a mission – within the West Virginia Republican Party to revisit the decision to close Republican primaries to registered independents. For decades, independent voters could request a Republican ballot in primary elections. That changed several years ago. Now, some party leaders want to revisit the issue yet again post primary.
According to sources familiar with party discussions, supporters of reopening the question believe they now have enough votes on the State Executive Committee – a result of the May primary – not only to force another debate, but potentially to change party policy for years to come.
The strategy extends beyond simply reopening the primary.
A proposed amendment to the West Virginia Republican Party bylaws sources say would create a structured process for considering the issue. Rather than allowing repeated motions every meeting, the proposal would require the party to vote on the open-versus-closed primary question once every four years while prohibiting attempts to revisit it outside that scheduled review.
Under the proposal, the first scheduled review would occur in 2027 to determine whether the 2028 Republican primary would once again be open to registered independents or remain closed.
Why does that matter? A few reasons.
The political implications extend well beyond party procedure.
Governor Patrick Morrisey is widely expected to face a Republican primary challenge in 2028. While no candidate has announced, conversations have been ongoing around the state. Names being discussed include Senator Jim Justice, Treasurer Larry Pack, Secretary of State Kris Warner, and others.
Morrisey will have at least one challenger, that much seems certain.
Many observers believe Governor Morrisey begins any Republican primary with a substantial base of committed supporters – what many dub the “Morrisey third.” Whether that base alone would be sufficient depends, in part, on who is allowed to vote.
An open primary would allow those voters who are conservative independents to participate, potentially changing the dynamics of a competitive gubernatorial nomination contest.
A sense of continuity; a path of certainty would emerge from adopting such a provision. No more “close it” or “open it” conversations at every meeting. Candidates for office would also possess a clear understanding of what voters will or won’t participate in a primary election – that should improve the ability to make better decisions on running.
But the timing itself also carries political significance.
Moving now could signal – especially if passed – to independent voters that the party’s new governing majority understands the party made a mistake. A gesture, a correction, that might not go unnoticed in the upcoming general election as independent voters are offered competitive choices from democrats, especially in Senate races.
Either way – enough votes to adopt or not – one thing is becoming increasingly clear.
The races almost nobody watched may ultimately determine who gets to vote in one of West Virginia’s most consequential upcoming Republican primaries in recent years; that decision could ripple through statewide elections for years to come.
The Executive Committee will take up the proposed amendment at its summer meeting on August 1 in Charleston. It requires a two-thirds vote to pass and as noted, would not automatically re-open the primary without an affirmative vote of the committee in 2027.