In the case of Tashjian, Secretary of State of Connecticut v. Republican Party of Connecticut et al., 1986, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Republican Party. The party had challenged a state law that only allowed registered members to vote in its primary elections; they wanted independent voters to participate as well. The court held that this restriction violated the First Amendment rights for freedom of association by limiting who could join and participate in political parties' activities. This decision reinforced political parties' ability to determine their own rules and membership criteria without undue interference from state laws.

In the dissenting opinion for Tashjian v. Republican Party of Connecticut, Justice White argued that the majority's decision was an overreach and misinterpretation of the Constitution's First Amendment rights. He believed that states should have autonomy in determining their own political processes without federal interference, including deciding who can participate in primary elections. In his view, allowing non-party members to vote in a party’s primary could dilute or distort its political message and undermine its ability to select candidates who truly represent its values. Furthermore, he contended that there were no compelling reasons for overriding state law since it did not prevent any group from forming a new party or running independent candidates if they disagreed with existing parties' rules or platforms.