A GOP’s primary dissent

Associated Press

AUBURN — King County voters, not precinct officers, will decide which Republican candidates will be on the general election ballot Nov. 6.

More than 250 precinct officers from 13 King County districts gathered in Auburn on Saturday, many fully expecting to defy the state’s controversial blanket-primary system by nominating candidates there.

But about three dozen left the convention before the nominating began, leaving the gathering without a quorum.

County GOP Chairman Reed Davis, who had called the convention, had no choice but to close the gathering. He called the walkout "cowardly."

"The minority frustrated the will of the majority today," Davis said. "A minority killed it."

Davis had hoped Republican precinct officials would choose the party’s nominees for county offices for the November election. He had promised to go to court to get them on the ballot if primary voters picked other candidates.

But an opposing group tried to change the convention rules to allow them to present a resolution requiring the party to abide by the primary outcome.

The officers in attendance voted 130-107 to continue without discussion, prompting the walkout and leaving the convention without the minimum number of officers required for an official vote.

Many who walked out objected to the convention itself, not the goal to end the state’s blanket primary.

"You don’t challenge an election right before the election is held," said Issaquah lawyer Vince Lombardi, author of the unsuccessful rule change.

The 65-year-old blanket primary lists all candidates on a single ballot and allows Democrats to vote for Republicans and vice versa. Many party activists have criticized it as unconstitutional.

When the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a similar primary in California last year, the state’s Democratic and Republican parties challenged the blanket primary in court. The Legislature was unable to draft a replacement system before its session ended.

In July, a federal judge allowed this fall’s blanket primary to proceed while the parties’ lawsuit awaits trial.

Davis said he fears facing yet another blanket primary next year "under more trying circumstances."

State Sen. Pam Roach of Auburn is challenging Metropolitan King County Councilman Les Thomas of Kent in Tuesday’s primary for the District 13 position.

Thomas was among six Republican members of the council who sent a letter to the convention, asking members to adopt a resolution to endorse whichever candidates won the primary elections.

At the forced conclusion of the convention, Thomas and Roach stood arm-in-arm at the podium.

"We are unified," Roach said. "We need to unite around the winners on Tuesday."