How single-party primary elections are reshaping Congress

[Dulcinea]

(NPR) Congress could soon be more polarized than it already is. And primary elections are a big reason why.

Some lawmakers have begun to speak out against closed, single-party primaries, which they see as part of a system that limits voter choice and incentivizes elected officials to prioritize party loyalty over their own political judgment.

It's a case long made by advocates of primary reform.

"There has been a ratcheting up, a ramping up of both the willingness and the ability of both the Democrats and the Republicans to shape outcomes before the voters get a chance to have a say," John Opdycke, founder and president of the group Open Primaries, told NPR. "And that's really devastating."

https://www.npr.org/2026/05/30/nx-s1-5839201/party-primaries-polarized-congress

[MichMan]

1. On the flip side, open primaries are susceptible to mischief when the opposing party has a established incumbent.

When there is an incumbent running who is virtually guaranteed to win their primary, some voters will cross over to try and sabotage the opposing parties primary by picking weaker candidates.