Our view: GOP decision on primary ballot is regrettable

The decision by the Minnesota Republican Party to list only one name on next year's presidential primary ballot is regrettable.

The state GOP has opted to list only President Donald Trump on its ballot for March 3, 2020, presidential primary, even though three other Republicans are running in the race.

This is the first presidential primary election in Minnesota since 1992. Under the rules of the primary, the political parties have the sole authority over which candidates will appear on the ballot. In the case of Minnesota's Republican Party, it has chosen to list only President Trump on the ballot, even though three other respectable candidates are running.

Jennifer Carnahan, chairwoman of the state party, said, "My job as chairwoman is to make sure we deliver our 10 electoral votes to the President." 

But her decision has potential long-term pitfalls for the GOP and for Minnesota voters:

-- It risks alienating moderate voters who will view the state GOP as a heavy-handed, top-down organization.

-- It creates division within the Republican Party, with a handful of GOP legislators already speaking out against the decision.

-- It actually hinders Trump's national campaign by failing to require him to explain and debate his policies and proposals before going head-to-head with a well-prepared Democrat in the fall.

-- It fails to generate energy among party activists advocating for their various candidates.

--And most importantly, it deprives voters of a choice. The three candidates challenging Trump -- former Massachussets Gov. William Weld, former North Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford and former Illinois Congressman Joe Walsh -- are providing the kind of debate and choice voters deserve. But we won't have that debate in Minnesota.

One can question Carnahan's judgment as a political leader. Consider, for example, that she led the state GOP to a substantial defeat in the 2018 election, losing control of the Minnesota House, losing two U.S. Senate races, losing the contest for governor, losing, in fact, every single statewide race, and barely breaking even on congressional races. 

We strongly believe voters, and the choices they make, should be respected.

Minnesota GOP appears reluctant to let Republican voters have a say in the 2020 primary election.

That is to the detriment of the Republican Party and the voters of Minnesota.