the primary issue -- table of contents

Prolife Primary

Voter Guide

table of contents

What if I'm vacationing?  ----

Where's my district?  ----------

Page 17

Pages 13-16

Why the Primaries are Primary?

Primary elections are hardly a "blip" on the election year radar for most of the electorate.  While we see dwindling numbers exercise their privilege to vote in a general election, mention a primary and the interest is even far less.  There seems to be a perception that only the general election is important; that this is the "real" election.

Nothing could be more wrong -- or more dangerous to prolifers!

According to a well-respected political commentator, some 90 percent of eventual Michigan state house open-seat winners are determined in the primary.  On the surface this seems like a silly statement: aren't all eventual winners determined in the primary?  After all, the only candidates who run in the general election are those who get through the primary.

True enough, but looking at the primary elections from a different perspective should convince you just how important your primary vote really is in electing prolife candidates.  Consider this...

Most districts will have a tendency to vote for one party in just about every election.  These trends are carefully tracked over time and the eventual outcome can usually be predicted with nearly 100 percent accuracy.  Political researchers rate districts on the basis of "safe Democrat," "likely Democrat," "lean Democrat," "marginal" (could go either way), "lean Republican," "likely Republican," and "safe Republican."

If prolifers can get prolife Democrat candidates through the primary in  "safe" or "likely" Democrat districts... and prolife Republican candidates through the primary in 51 "safe" or "likely" Republican districts, it's safe to say that we'll have a majority of prolife legislators in the Michigan state house to begin the 1999 legislative year! 

Voting in primary elections is also essential for prolifers because of the relatively low voter turnout in primaries.  When vote totals are down, it takes fewer votes to make a difference.  Since it takes fewer votes to win; the organization,
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interest group or PAC which can mobilize their voters to vote can make a greater impact on the outcome.

The RLM PAC evaluates the candidates and makes endorsements based on strict prolife guidelines.

If you're really serious about getting prolife candidates elected to public office... if you really want to see abortion ended... if you want protection restored to the most vulnerable of society, born and unborn, you'll make the 1998 primary elections primary.  Don't take them for granted.  Don't look at them as unnecessary or inconvenient.

July 6  is the final day to register for the primary election -- and you don't even have to declare a party preference.  The lives of thousands of unborn babies are worth the few minutes it takes to register.

Then be sure to cast your prolife vote in the August 4 election.  Cut out the list of endorsed candidates -- pages 4-12 -- and take it with you to the polls.  Make your primary vote count for the unborn.

Make your primary vote primary in 1998.