Western Primary: UT, AZ and NM just the start
But, its a darn good start. What yesterday was all about was putting a date on the calendar, now we have to work to get other states to move their dates up. From the AP:
The governors of New Mexico and Utah will try to recruit other Rocky Mountain and Western states to hold presidential preference contests early in the 2008 presidential campaign.New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democrat, joined with Utah Gov.
Jon Huntsman, a Republican, on Tuesday in calling for a Western regional presidential primary or caucuses on the first Tuesday in February 2008.If enough Western states hold early contests, they say, it will increase the fast-growing region's clout in picking presidential nominees.
"For too long, the West has been a flyover region and Western issues have not been emphasized," Richardson said at a news conference with Huntsman. "We had little or no impact and our issues were easily ignored. If we're successful in putting together several Western states, then that will change."
And it looks like other Western states, such as Nevada (which wouldn't have far to move), Montana and Colorado might also enter the mix:
Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn, a Republican, said Tuesday that he supported a Western presidential primary and would recommend that his successor ask legislators in 2007 to approve the proposal.Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer "is generally supportive of any measure that would bring attention to the issues of the West," said Sarah Elliott, a spokeswoman for the Democratic governor. "However, so far the Montana Legislature has not approved the idea or the necessary funding."
The Montana Legislature rejected a proposal earlier this year that would have moved the state's presidential primaries from June to February or March.
Colorado Gov. Bill Owens, a Republican, "likes the idea of a regional primary and he looks forward to seeing what the governors propose," said his spokesman, Mark Salley.
Emmett O'Connell | October 12, 2005 | Comment on This Post (1 so far) |
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Comments
NV has always been a caucus state, which menas that hte parties organize the caucuses. (With no cost tothe state). So for NV to join a western primary, someone would have to make the case to fund a second statewide primary (because it would be too early in the year to nominate candidates for state offices), and thats going to be a hard sell.
NV has also been a non-binding state, so that the precinct-level caucuses are really a beauty pageant; delegates aren't formally pledged to a Presidential candidate until the state convention several months later.
With the likelihood of two home-state candidates on the ballot (McCain, Richardson), I'm guessing its going to be a tough draw to get media attention paid to a western primary. (Although national journalists love to cover stories in Las Vegas ...if NV were in fact to get involved, as a caucus or a primary).
Posted by: desmoulins | Oct 12, 2005 12:04:27 PM
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(and yes, we know that sometimes they're very, very wrong. Other times, they're right on.)
