Closed Primaries Drive Congressional Polarization

More than 90 % of U.S. House districts are safe for one party, limiting competition. A 2026 poll shows 86 % of Americans disapprove of Congress, up from a 2022 survey where three-quarters favored compromise. In Alaska, 60 % of voters say they dislike aligning with either major party, and Sen. Bill Cassidy earned 25 % in Louisiana’s primary.

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Last year, former President Trump launched a mid-decade redistricting push that intensified partisan gerrymandering, shrinking the pool of competitive districts and limiting opportunities for cross-party collaboration.

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Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA) and former Sen. Bill Cassidy (LA) criticize closed primaries; Sen. Lisa Murkowski (AK) credits Alaska’s top-four system for her 2022 win. Reformers John Opdycke (Open Primaries) and Nick Troiano (Unite America) push for open primary models.

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Cassidy earned 25 % when Louisiana’s primary barred crossover voters; Murkowski’s 2010 write-in win highlighted voter frustration.

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Fitzpatrick says closed primaries force party loyalty, harming governance, and calls for open primaries and a gerrymandering ban. Cassidy argues Louisiana’s rule change disenfranchises voters, fueling betrayal. Murkowski praises Alaska’s top-four system for expanding voter choice and shielding lawmakers. Opdycke and Troiano warn parties tighten primaries to retain control after gerrymandering, deepening polarization.

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Both Republican and Democratic leaders have pushed to close primaries, arguing party control preserves ideological coherence. In California, a bid to scrap the nonpartisan blanket primary was defeated in the 2024 ballot. Comparable bills are pending in a dozen states, reflecting resistance to reform.

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Advocates argue open primaries yield more moderate office-holders, yet Opdycke calls this a misperception, noting limited empirical evidence. Data on candidate ideology shifts after primary reforms remain scarce.

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• "There has been a ratcheting up, a ramping up of both the willingness and the ability of both the Democrats and the Republicans to shape outcomes before the voters get a chance to have a say," — John Opdycke, Founder and President, Open Primaries.

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• "If you're an elected official, the only threat to your reelection is someone running to your ideological extreme in your primary," — Nick Troiano, Executive Director, Unite America.

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• "You have so many people that are co-opted from doing the right thing and supporting the right policy because of politics," — Brian Fitzpatrick, Representative, Pennsylvania.

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• "When you have closed primaries, it really limits to a very small number those who are eligible to participate," — Lisa Murkowski, United States Senator, Alaska.

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Unite America and Open Primaries plan to contest primary-closure bills in roughly a dozen states during the upcoming legislative session, while reformers monitor potential ballot initiatives after 2024 defeats.

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