Thomas Sowell Quotes
As far as party primaries are concerned, both Republican and Democratic Party primaries are dominated by the most zealous voters, whose views may not reflect the views of most members of their own respective parties, much less the views of those who are going to vote in the November general election. In recent times, each election year has seen each party's nominee selected - or at least subject to veto - by its most extreme wing and then forced to try to move back to the center before the general election. This can only undermine the public's confidence in the integrity of the candidates of both parties.
Thomas Sowell, Economist & Political Commentator, “Bipartisan Primary Blues”, National Review, March 25, 2008
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
He was discussing the Presidential Primary Race.
In primary elections, candidates tend want to appease the regular base of the party so they take extreme positions. In the general elections, they need independent voters, and crossover voters from the other party so they moderate their rhetoric. However, often their positions taken in the Primary Elections come back to haunt them.
Despite his fears, that is exactly what happened. Ironically, he himself was the focus of much dissatisfaction with the administration, and the Federalists led by Adams and the Democratic Republicans led by Jefferson opposed each other, ousting Adams.
Republican Party primary elections had become very contentious. The radical right and the Tea Party, though a minority of the party, had the power to destroy almost any Republican candidate’s chances. So those Republican political candidates were forced to pander to the extreme right and then try and backtrack to the center for the general election. As a result, few people believed the statements of Republican office seekers as no one knew what they really believed including members of their own party, Bush, no longer running for any political position, found himself with much more credibility and influence in the party than those who were running for office. The problem of appealing to party extremes was not unique to the Republicans at that time, but the degree and extent was unprecedented accounting for the distrust.
Thomas Sowell is an American economist, social theorist, and senior fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution.
