Adam Gabbatt of The Guardian newspaper holds images of possible Republican candidates, from left, former Penn. Sen. Rick Santorum, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Donald Trump, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and below, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Md., Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
In presidential politics, Connecticut Republicans may ultimately control their own destiny.
At first glance, there does not appear to be any statutory barrier to the state GOP switching from a presidential primary to a caucus for the 2016 election, so long as it jives with the party’s bylaws.
Buried in Chapter 154 of the Connecticut General Statutes is the following language: “Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit the holding of caucuses for the selection of delegates prior to the day of the primary.”
The section was brought to attention of Hearst Connecticut Media interestingly enough by Matthew Waggner, the Democratic registrar of voters for the town of Fairfield.
A task force created by the Connecticut GOP is seeking legal opinions on whether Republicans could bypass the Democratically-controlled Legislature to adopt the caucus model, with a goal of trying to draw a larger crowd of contenders to the Nutmeg State for more than just campaign cash.
The effort comes after a pair of Republican-sponsored bills to move up the primary date from the last Tuesday in April to the first week of March stalled in the General Assembly.