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How Pat Robertson led to a change in Washington state law

The conservative won the 1988 caucus, triggering a move to the primary system.

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Conservative tele-evangelist Pat Robertson helped change the way the State of Washington selects a presidential candidate.

Robertson died Thursday at his home in Virginia. He was 93.

The founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network ran for president in 1988 and Washington was one of four states that backed the Republican candidate in the primary process.

Robertson handily beat opponents George H.W. Bush and Robert Dole in the town hall-style, public vote caucuses in the state on March 8, 1988.

"It felt to a lot of folks like we were the laughingstock of the country for sending a Pat Robertson delegation,” said David Ammons, former Associated Press correspondent who covered the Washington Capitol and politics in Washington for more than 30 years.

Ammons credited Robertson’s supporters, who trained how to caucus and showed up on election day.

“They were very skilled and organized,” said Ammons.

Ammons said Robertson’s victory upset mainstream Republicans who, as a result of the caucuses, were not allowed to represent the State of Washington at the Republican National Convention in New Orleans.

Robertson ended up dropping out of the race and Bush won the presidency that November.

The next year, state legislators in Olympia voted to move the state to a hybrid system in the presidential primary.

“That was a direct result of Pat Robertson, and people thinking it's not right that a splinter of a party can pack the caucuses,” said Ammons.

Political parties can still caucus to decide who will represent the state at state and national conventions, but caucus results are nonbinding regarding a selection of a particular candidate.

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