On March 3, we saw a pair of vicious Texas Senate primaries, one of which came to a close and the other of which is set for a runoff of further torture. For many Americans, party primaries are just the way we do things, and since the 1970s, it has been.

But in the midst of primary season, I have a surprising take. I don’t think we should have party primaries. Typically, when I share this perspective with people, I am charged with being antidemocratic, to which all I have to say is: “Yes.” 

Political parties do not benefit from being internally democratic. Our election primary system is part of the reason candidates have gotten so extreme, and it's a contributing factor to our political polarization.

Not all institutions benefit from being Democratic

Our system is rooted in the idea that absolute democracy is not good and leads to small majorities imposing their will on the rest. We see this effect in our presidential elections, in which presidents elected by minorities or slim majorities of voters claim sweeping........

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