Congressional primaries are the neglected stepchildren of American elections. Journalists mostly ignore them, except when a scandal-ridden incumbent is defeated. News organizations never conduct exit polls of primary voters. Congressional primaries also receive scant attention from scholars. …
But the surprise arrival of the Tea Party in the 2010 midterm elections and their persistent influence over decision making within the Republican Party has convinced us here at Brookings that it is time to spend more time on the systematic study of congressional primaries—and the consequences of these frequently overlooked partisan battles. CONT.
Elaine Kamarck, Brookings Institution