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."
In just the past several weeks, GOP primary voters in places like Indiana, Kentucky and Louisiana have forced out state and federal lawmakers who crossed President Trump, including on redistricting.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) of Florida on Tuesday suspended an ally from his role as Palm...
In Florida's primary election, Republican incumbent Rep. Cory Mills lost his race in the 7th congressional...
In an upset for the Democratic establishment, progressive Angie Nixon won the party’s US Senate primary...
