The GOP’s Biggest Threat Isn’t Independents — it’s Bad Ideas like Closed Primaries

Guest Opinion by Angelo “Doc” Mancuso

“At first, if you don’t succeed, try, try again.” I believe that’s the old saying — and it certainly applies to Rep. Ernie Yarbrough, who is once again attempting to force closed primaries on the citizens of Alabama. According to multiple sitting state legislators, it’s a proposal the Republican Legislature doesn’t want. There are many more Republicans lawmakers, who quietly oppose the legislation but haven’t spoken publicly as of yet, and they are sitting back and waiting for the right moment to voice their concerns and opposition.

Alabama Republicans are in an enviable position. They hold a supermajority in the Legislature, every statewide constitutional office, both U.S. Senate seats, and five of seven congressional seats. In a political era where other states are fighting over razor thin margins, Alabama’s GOP is not just winning — it’s dominating. So when a proposal comes along to fundamentally change how our primaries work, the first question any reasonable conservative should ask is simple: What problem are we trying to solve?

Closed primaries sound good in theory. They’re marketed as a way to ensure Republicans pick Republican nominees. But that’s the theory — not the reality. In practice, closed primaries shrink the Republican Party. They push away independents who already lean conservative but refuse to be boxed into a party label. These voters aren’t Democrats. They’re not “moderates.” They’re the people who show up for conservative causes, vote for conservative candidates, and support conservative policies — but they value their independence. And when you try to force independents into a party structure, they don’t comply. They rebel. They walk away.

We’ve seen this concern raised before. Earlier this year, House Pro Tem Chris Pringle warned that closed primaries could “drive the party into the dirt,” because they reduce participation and weaken the GOP’s long term strength. That wasn’t a fringe opinion — it was a mainstream Republican leader saying out loud what many quietly understood: shrinking the electorate is not how you grow a party.

And now, we’re seeing that same warning echoed again. According to recent report, Rep. Andy Whitt and Rep. Philip Rigsby — both Republicans from North Alabama — have publicly come out against the closed primary bill. They represent districts with large numbers of independents, and they’re sounding the alarm that forcing those voters to register with a party is “not a good look” and would alienate the very people who help Republicans win. They’re not theorizing. They’re describing the reality in their districts.

So again: what problem is being solved?

The Republican Party in Alabama is not struggling. It’s not losing ground. It’s not being infiltrated. It’s not being overrun by crossover voters. The GOP is strong — historically strong — and the voters who make that possible include a large number of independents who reliably vote conservative without wanting a party label stamped on their forehead.

That’s why the push for closed primaries raises a different question: Why now? Why change the rules at a moment when the party is already winning? Two words: Ernie Yarbrough.

Some lawmakers like Ernie Yarbrough may believe that shrinking the electorate helps them in competitive districts. Others may think that limiting participation shields them from accountability to independents who swing races; yeah I am talking about you Ernie. And some may simply be frustrated that governing is hard, so changing the rules feels easier than delivering results.

But none of those reasons strengthen the Republican Party. They only shrink it.

Closed primaries don’t expand participation. They don’t grow the base. They don’t bring new voters into the fold. They don’t help Republicans win new ground. They do the opposite: they reduce the number of people who can participate in choosing our nominees, and they risk alienating the very independents who help Republicans maintain their dominance.

Alabama doesn’t need fewer voters. It doesn’t need narrower primaries. It doesn’t need to shrink the tent. The GOP is strong because it has built a coalition that includes Republicans, conservative Democrats, and independents who lean right but refuse labels. That coalition is working. It’s winning. And it’s worth protecting.

Remember the “Reagan Democrats?” This was possibly the most successful political coalition in modern American history. These were people who had enough of the Carter Administration and the way the country was going in all ways. They listened to a new voice in Ronald Reagan who once was a Democrat and changed his party to Republican, but he really didn’t care for party labels. He believed in likeminded people working together and bringing in new people no matter what their background or party affiliation was or wasn’t. If it had not been for the “Reagan Democrats,” he would have never been elected president. So in reality, a group of Democrats helped elect a Republican president who many feel was the greatest president ever. Without those “crossover” voters, Jimmy Carter would have been re-elected.

Alabama still has its own version of Reagan Democrats — conservative leaning independents who vote Republican but refuse party labels. Closing the primaries risks pushing those voters away from where they already call home.

Before we change the rules of the game, we should be honest about what the game actually looks like. Alabama Republicans are winning because the party is open enough to welcome conservative leaning independents without forcing them into a box.

If Republicans slam the door shut now, they shouldn’t be surprised when some of those voters decide not just to walk away, but to run — and take others with them.

Angelo “Doc” Mancuso is a dermatological cancer surgeon and an Independent candidate for Alabama House District 7. 

For more information on Mancuso and his campaign, visit DocMancuso.com or follow his campaign on Facebook.

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