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The “Bolling Bill” to Eliminate Conventions: HB 2208 and SB 1260

Slithering around the General Assembly are two companion bills — HB 2208 and SB 1260 — eliminating conventions in favor of primaries [1] under the cloak of protecting the military vote:

Party nominating methods. Provides that no political party shall determine its candidates for statewide or General Assembly district office, the U.S. House of Representatives, or the U.S. Senate by a method that has the practical effect of excluding participation in the nominating process by active duty military personnel and military reservists or by individuals who are unable to attend meetings because of military service-related injuries, regardless of their duty station or location.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight…

How’s about this?  We’ll consent to our method of nominations being primaries when the General Assembly swallows the political consequences of closing the primaries and preventing non-Republicans from determining our nominees.

May I remind folks that we have a constitutional right of free association.  Republicans have the right to choose Republican nominees — free of interference from the outside world.  Conventions help us protect this right… especially since Virginia’s open primary system tramples upon this right time and time again.

Now perhaps Cosgrove is trying to backdoor closed primaries by eliminating certain methods of nomination?  Perhaps… but that would be backpedaling to the highest degree.

We all know what and who this is about.

[2]

Conservatives within the Republican Party need to kill the “Bolling Bill” and send a direct message back to the establishment hacks trying to enforce party discipline thru law.  If this is the final recourse Republican moderates have, then it will only reinforce what most conservatives already know — the big tent only works when the establishment goons are the ringleaders, and all talk of coalitions and working together is just that — talk.

Kill HB 2208 and SB 1260.

Kill it to death.

Common sense needs to win a round this week, guys [3].  We’re all watching and hoping…