When did the GOP adopt a more democratic primary process?

[Obama-Biden Democrat]

As we all know the Democrats had primaries before 1972, but they were all for show. The real power was held in the smoked filled rooms where party hacks would decide who would actually win. The early 1970's McGovern-Fraser commission democratized the Democratic primary process, by putting the nomination in the hands of the actual voters, not the machine hacks.

I have no idea historically how the Republican party nomination process was run. I would assume that it was democratized by the 1960's as I can't see the establishment party hacks being too pleased with Goldwater being the GOP nominee. When did the GOP hand over power to the masses and away from the party bosses?

[Obama-Biden Democrat]

GOP adopted a popular election system parallel to Dems. Goldwater conquered the party through grassroots organizing and the traditional method of winning states. Once he won California he clinched the nomination, with an uncertain contested convention best outcome Rocky could hope for before that. Eastern networks had atrophied entirely by 1964, as Rocky said "You're looking at it" (Eastern Establishment) privately.

Interesting, I guess I overestimated the power of of the East Coast GOP establishment in 1964. I guess it was down to just Rocky by then. I guess 1948 would have been the last gasp of the East Coast establishment. I had always assumed that Goldwater had taken the nomination from the establishment's cold dead hands.