An extended primary for the GOP might be good

NAPLES, Fla - After Tuesday the race for the Republican primary will only be four races old but that has not stopped people from ringing their hands about how a potentially protracted primary will hurt the GOP's chances in November. There are some Republican operatives who see a protracted primary fight as a good thing though. Writing in National Review, former Tim Cahill and Sharon Angle staffer Jordan Gehrke says that an early end to the race actually helps the Democrats and President Obama by giving them more time to destroy the presumptive nominee.

The Republican establishment says the best way to counter this is to quickly pick a nominee. The thinking goes that a long Republican primary process weakens the eventual candidate, because the candidates will spend money on beating each other that is better aimed at beating Obama. But this year, that strategy plays right into Obama’s hand.

Ending the primary season early simply allows Team Obama more time to focus their fire on the GOP nominee. Spending the next five months under a blistering assault from the Obama “Death Star” in Chicago, aided by super PACs and the media, could be a disaster for Republicans

Whole thing here.

When you think about the core of Gehrke's points make sense. The Republicans are benefiting from having all this free air time devoted to their bashing of the president. The Republican on Republican attacks are merely collateral damage in their unending assault on his time in office. The 19 (!) debates have garnered unprecedented attention and if the contest goes all the way we may see even more debates where the candidates rip Obama for two hours straight in prime time on national television.