Republican primary voters vote for who the Establishment tells them to vote for

[bluestateguy]

The only time this rule was not true was in 1964, when Barry Goldwater's movement conservatives took over the party. Otherwise, when Republican Establishmentarians send the message out that this is Our Candidate, the primary voters are expected to follow, and they do.

Nixon in 1968, Ford in 1976, Reagan in 1980, Bush, Sr. in 1988, Dole in 1996 and Baby Bush in 2000. Democrats, on the other hand, are more welcoming of insurgent candidates, such as McGovern (1972) and Carter (1976).

This year the Establishment seems more divided on a candidate, but as soon as they coalesce around one man, you can bet that the voters will follow, being the good little stormtroopers that they are.

[glowing]

1. They'll see after the shakedown from FL and SC...

[rjones2818]

2. Funny thing...

so do the Dems.

[MadHound]

3. What you say can be equally applied to the Dems too

Welcome to the two party/same corporate master system of government.

As far as McGovern goes, yeah, he was a maverick, one that the party bosses didn't expect to get the nod. But you know what happened when he did? The party bosses and machinery withdrew their support and money, leaving McGovern to sink or swim on his own. It wasn't so much that Nixon destroyed McGovern, his own party did that to him. Nixon just performed a mercy killing, that's all.

As far as Carter goes, he wasn't an insurgent candidate. Yes, he was a bit of a surprise, but hardly an insurgent. Rather he was a centerist whom trusted, which counted for a lot post Watergate.