Never Anger a Sitting Legislator

Having been burned by a failed primary election contest last year, State Representative Henri Brooks is getting revenge (of the good sort) against Ophelia Ford.

Brooks has introduced legislation to trigger an automatic recount (not requiring Election Commission action) if an outcome is within 1/2 of one percent of the total votes, for the top two candidates.

This is good, as it removes action from a possibly partisan Election Commission and makes it automatic. I'm for that.

However, again I ask, why is the State in the business of conducting party primaries? It's not a constitutional duty. Only the election to fill the office is. Primaries are party business and should be handled by parties, at their own time and expense.

But I guess that's the point. Why should they spend their own money, and face the confusion and effort, when they can fob it off on the State, and by extension, the taxpayers?