Environmentalists are heckling California Governor Jerry Brown for not taking a tougher stance against fracking.
The protests will have no effect. Brown -- who has championed environmental causes since the 1970s -- would never lose many votes over the issue. If anything, the protests reinforce his image as a pragmatist.
What is more, the top-two primary eliminates a source of environmentalist leverage. Under the old system, a Green Party candidate could siphon votes from the Democrats in the general election. In a close race, this spoiler effect might even deny victory to a Democratic candidate -- as Ralph Nader did to Al Gore in Florida during the 2000 presidential election. But now, only the top two candidates -- most likely Brown and an underdog Republican -- will be on the ballot in November.
