Can we talk a little bit about why Lisa Murkowski is able to vote against Trump nominees and still exist as a moderate Republican from a "red" state. (Heavy on the air quotes) It's because we have ranked choice voting and open primaries. She can't be driven out by wingnuts in a closed primary. - ThreadSky

pat.alaskarobotics.com • 97 days ago

Can we talk a little bit about why Lisa Murkowski is able to vote against Trump nominees and still exist as a moderate Republican from a "red" state. (Heavy on the air quotes)

It's because we have ranked choice voting and open primaries. She can't be driven out by wingnuts in a closed primary.

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pat.alaskarobotics.com•97 days ago

The closed party primary shifts decision making away from the general election and into a much more manageable fishbowl. It's a much smaller slice of party super voters to appeal to in the primary and you really only need a slim majority of those even.

The party can dictate terms.

pat.alaskarobotics.com•97 days ago

And what is the party? The party is an organization made of committees and leaders and has it's own hierarchy. So pretty soon you've actually just got a handful of people making critical election decisions for everyone else.

Open primaries are key to fixing this country.

pat.alaskarobotics.com•97 days ago

I'm a visual communicator. I need to draw this.

technologynut.bsky.social•97 days ago

And I thought it was because he crossed a line by renaming Denali…

chugachmtnblues.bsky.social•94 days ago

Point of information: you’re not wrong about the value of RCV but Alaska was already a little like this leads, viz Murkowski’s remarkable 2010 run and the Walker-Mallott unity ticket in 2014

pat.alaskarobotics.com•94 days ago

Yes but those were incredible anomalies.

Murkowski write-in relied on D's dumping a not-terrible Democrat and that wasn't a sustainable approach.

Walker-Mallott had tailwinds from a national guard sexual assault scandal and the glow of a unity ticket. Again, not a sustainable victory.

pat.alaskarobotics.com•94 days ago

So I agree, I'm not wrong ;)

chugachmtnblues.bsky.social•94 days ago

A unity ticket would be a bug, not a feature, in most places. Idaho for example.

chugachmtnblues.bsky.social•94 days ago

But Murkowski also relied on Democrats in 2016, also pre-RCV

chugachmtnblues.bsky.social•94 days ago

Can I plug my own thread about why “red” deserves scare quotes?

Too late I already did

https://bsky.app/profile/chugachmtnblues.bsky.social/post/3lgmabwiadk2t

jomariet.bsky.social•96 days ago

And Susan Collins is in the same place.

wahwhyy.bsky.social•96 days ago

Nah, it’s cuz she is able to do it while he is still confirmed. She didn’t stand up against Kavanaugh. Her independence is a charade

pat.alaskarobotics.com•96 days ago

True that her votes are often only on the cusp of actually having an impact but I don't think it's a charade. She consistently opposes party power. She saved the Affordable Care Act which is why I have health insurance. And she voted to convict during Trump's impeachment.

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