A Washington Post article details how the Republican “invisible” presidental primary has already begun. Just as in the previous two contests, well-heeled donors giving more than $100,000 or $200,000 apiece — “Rangers” and “Pioneers” in Bush campaign-speak — will all but select the Republican nominee without the messy business of actually balloting:
Ed Rogers, a Republican lobbyist not affiliated with a potential presidential candidate, said that with just 14 months remaining before the first ballots are cast, any candidate not knee-deep in conversations with Rangers and Pioneers is already falling behind.
“We are going to have a nominee by February 6th,” 2008, Rogers said. “You have to have all of your money at the opening gun.”
February 5 is the day after the first real Republican primary. That is donors will annoint a clear front runner between now and February 1. After a prefunctory show of democracy in New Hampshire and Iowa in late January, primary voters on February 5 in just eight states will likely just rubberstamp the presumptive nominee.
I’m not saying that wealthy Democratic donors don’t also disproportiately influence candidate selection. But hey, at least Democrats go through the mechanics of a primary with some semblance of competition. Last round, John Kerry actually had to dip into his personal wealth to keep the campaign afloat during his 2003 December doldrums. Howard Dean’s candidacy was surging at the time and Kerry couldn’t make payrole.
And yes, candidates’ personal wealth is a problem too. A matter for a future posting.
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