Closed Primary Case Thrown Out

No doubt much to the chagrin of Rod Beck and other true believers out to save the state from evil (e.g. anyone who disagrees), yesterday federal judge Mikel H. Williams threw out the lawsuit demanding a closed Republican primary. This ensures Idaho's voter registration policy will remain strictly nonpartisan, for now anyway. The rationale behind the decision is essentially that 71 GOP hotheads can't speak for the party in an official capacity just because they want to.

The next step might be to push closed primaries through the Legislature. Given the unpopularity of the closed primary concept outside the Bill Sali Zone - especially among our state's large faction of die-hard independents - and the fact this is all about the Idaho Republicans, that could make for some smashing political theater. We'll just have to wait and see.