Republican leaders meet to discuss closed primaries

    RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - North Carolina Republican Party leaders are ready to discuss whether they want their next primary to be just a family affair.
    The GOP’s state Executive Committee planned to meet Saturday to consider a resolution that would prevent the nearly 1.4 million unaffiliated voters from casting ballots in the Republican primary in May. Unaffliateds have been helping pick GOP nominees since 1988.
    Local GOP leaders supporting the change argue party members should be the ones picking their nominees because independents are more inclined to back moderates.
    Many state party and elected officials want to keep things the way they are. They’re worried a change would damage Republican chances to win elections in 2010.
    Unaffiliated voters have been allowed in Democratic primaries since 1996.
   
    (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)