If Michael Ramirez could put aside his obsession with Donald Trump for a minute, he might have spent some time finding out exactly what the difference between the presidential primary and caucus in Nevada is precisely.

The presidential primary was established by the Dems, is nothing more than an advisory “beauty contest” and has no bearing on the process by which delegates to the party national conventions are chosen. That has ALWAYS been done by the precinct caucus process–and what they won’t tell you is that the Dems have caucuses too. They are REQUIRED by state law.

I lived in Nevada for fifteen years. In 2008 I was GOP chairman in Lyon County and organized the caucuses there. The media back then was promoting the notion that this was a new wrinkle in the process, but it was nothing of the sort. What were now referred to as “caucuses” ALWAYS conducted, just called “precinct meetings” previously.

The disconnect between primary and caucus is the result of the media reporting only the results of the presidential straw poll conducted there, rather than tabulating the number of precinct delegates elected and supporting various presidential candidates. THAT, and the adoption of resolutions ultimately to be synthesized into the party’s national platform, is the most important order of business at the caucus.

The disconnect is further magnified by the number of participants who show up, cast their straw poll vote, and then leave immediately. In 2012 my precinct caucus in Dayton, Nevada cast a straw poll vote favoring Mitt Romney, but elected delegates supporting Ron Paul, because the latter’s supporters stuck around long enough to do that.

The common-sense solution would be to hold the straw poll as the last item of business, so that participants would have to stick around to the end, and the straw poll results and delegates elected would reflect the same level of support for candidates represented. I don’t expect the Nevada GOP to recognize this, as my experience back then is sadly comparable to current practice.

But I do expect Ramirez to do his homework.