Marijuana legalization has been making inroads with Republican voters, especially millennials, but GOP support has lagged well behind Democrats and independents. Cannabis law reform advocates have long pointed out the conservative values demonstrated by marijuana legalization, including personal freedom, personal responsibility, entrepreneurship, smaller government and states’ rights. Marijuana law reform has split prominent Republicans, some who are already running for president, others contemplating a 2016 run. While not fully embracing legalization like his father, Senator Rand Paul has expressed support for medical cannabis and states’ rights to choose their own policies while New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has pledged to use federal forces to shut down states’ regulated marijuana systems.
The Los Angeles Times reports that GOP candidates opposing legalization are facing a dilemma as they “are running against the tide of opinion in the country overall, a conundrum the party faces on a host of social issues, including same-sex marriage.”
In a recent Pew Research Center survey, 53% of Americans polled said they supported legalizing marijuana, compared with 44% who were opposed. The political divide was stark. Only 39% of Republicans favored legalization, compared with 59% of Democrats and 58% of independents.
Still, there was some nuance among Republicans: When asked whether the federal government should enforce its anti-pot laws in states that allowed marijuana use, 54% said it should not, while 43% said the government should enforce federal marijuana laws.
That result points to one of the central dilemmas confronting the party’s voters and candidates on the issue of marijuana: They favor a weaker federal government and giving more power to the states in general, but when it comes to pot, a substantial bloc of the party wants the federal government to rein in the states.
As The Los Angeles Times notes, cannabis policy is a major dilemna for Republican candidates as they seek the GOP’s 2016 presidential nomination. The candidates have to cobble together a winning coalition that includes fundamentalists, conservatives, moderates, business interests and libertarians. With several marijuana ballot measures expected on the ballot, it will be very unpopular for any candidate to proclaim that they will use federal resources to override the will of the voters who choose to legalize marijuana, medical and/or recreational.
While Republicans may write off the West Coast, they certainly don’t want to upset the swing voters in Colorado or states that may have marijuana measures on the ballot in 2016, such as Nevada, Missouri, Ohio and Florida. Republicans would be wise to at least adhere to a states’ rights point of view on the issue, although some Republicans may want to consider not ceding the more libertarian position to Rand Paul. It will certainly be interesting to watch and the cannabis community will certainly be paying attention and will be organizing, voting and donating accordingly.
Anthony Johnson
Anthony, a longtime cannabis law reform advocate, was Chief Petitioner and co-author of Measure 91, Oregon's cannabis legalization effort. He served as director of both the New Approach Oregon and Vote Yes on 91 PACs, the political action committees responsible for the state's legalization campaign. As director of New Approach Oregon, Anthony continues to work towards effectively implementing the cannabis legalization system while protecting small business owners and the rights of patients. He sits on the Oregon Marijuana Rules Advisory Committee and fights for sensible rules at the legislature as well as city councils and county commissions across the state. Anthony helps cannabis business comply with Oregon's laws and advises advocates across the country. He also serves as content director of both the International Cannabis Business Conference and the Oregon Marijuana Business Conference, helping share the vision of moving the cannabis industry forward in a way that maintains the focus on keeping people out of prison and protecting patients. He was a member of the Oregon Health Authority Rules Advisory Committee, assisting the drafting of the administrative rules governing Oregon’s state-licensed medical marijuana facilities. He first co-authored and helped pass successful marijuana law reform measures while a law student at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law. He passed the Oregon Bar in 2005 and practiced criminal defense for two years before transitioning to working full-time in the political advocacy realm. His blogs on Marijuana Politics are personal in nature and don't speak for or reflect the opinions of any group or organization.
