POLITICAL. NOTES: Experiment

POLITICAL NOTES

The primary election, generally thought to be the most democratic procedure for nominating candidates for office, has long been a handicap to Massachusetts Republicans. It has the effect of shutting off the G.O.P. from the state’s powerful groups of non-Yankee voters, especially Irish, Italians, French Canadians and Jews. Party leaders have tried to appeal to non-Yankees by putting up non-Yankee candidates, but the overwhelming Yankee majority in Republican primaries tends to defeat the non-Yankees. Result: the Massachusetts Republicans often go into general elections with “unbalanced” tickets.

Last year the Republicans tried in vain to change the state primary laws. G.O.P. politicians figured that conventions would enable them to nominate better-balanced slates. Last week at Worcester, the Republicans tried an experiment. They held an unofficial nominating convention and picked a mixed slate which will get the party leaders’ all-out support in the September primary for state offices. Its makeup: two Back Bay bluebloods, one Yankee businessman, two Jews, one Italian and one Irishwoman.