McCain Seeks Independents’ Primary Votes

Washington Times

Sen. John McCain’s campaign is mounting a stealth effort to change Republican presidential nomination rules in California to allow independents to vote in the Feb. 5 primary, party and campaign officials in the state have told The Washington Times.
The impact could be huge — and potentially damaging to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, currently the most acceptable to traditional-values voters among the three top-tier Republican presidential candidates.
“If California changes its delegate selection rules to allow independent voters to participate in the Republican primary, it would be very helpful for McCain and for Rudy Giuliani, who historically have done very well among independent voters,” Federal Election Commissioner Michael E. Toner said.

If successful this could begin a welcome trend to allow independents to have more influence in primary elections.