Reply #15: Because only candidates with $$$$$ could compete

[anigbrowl]

How is anyone going to campaign in all 50 states without being loaded to the gills with money 6 months to a year before the race begins? It's a dumb idea. The whole point of the primary process is to winnow out candidates over time and get an idea of how well they can manage their campaign. Otherwise you get candidates who are sort of good at winning elections but suck in office - the primary system isn't a full guarantee against that, but it does weed out most of the obvious dead-enders.