On Meet the Press, Open Primaries President John Opdycke explained that the country's political extremes are thriving because party primaries reward small ideological electorates while treating independent voters like outsiders.
The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact offers a state-based way to break the swing-state cartel, weaken minority rule, and make every presidential vote count.
A court challenge failed. Now Massachusetts voters will decide whether to open the state’s insider-driven primaries to all voters, all candidates, and real competition.
As Democrats scramble to replace Graham Platner, the former logger and Maine Senate president offers a rare mix of progressive politics, labor credibility, and proven appeal in Republican-leaning areas.
Luckily, there are organizations out there who are endorsing independent-minded candidates as well as candidates who support reforms key to unlocking independent political power.
Whether the billionaire wealth tax survives will come down to a simple count: if Proposition 40 beats both Proposition 41 and Proposition 42 this November, it will stand. If either of them beats it, the tax will get erased anyway.
Prediction markets are already pricing in a post-Platner race—and the name that is closing the gap with Collins before any announcement has been made may help the party avoid a full Joe Biden situation.
Buried in Title 21-A, section 374-A of Maine's election statutes is a provision built for exactly this kind of situation: a primary winner who becomes, in the party's estimation, more liability than asset before the general election arrives.
Shawn Griffiths
Cara Brown McCormick
Nathan Smolensky
Matt Shinners
