Western primary buzz in Montana Election Reform, Montana, Policy Issues, Presidential Politics, The Big Strategy

Of course, the Western Primary is a “the more the merrier situation” (except for California), so its good to see that Democrats in Montana are talking about it. Also, it would be good to see the state that brought us Brian Schweitzer and will bring us Jon Tester or John Morrison voting on the same day as Utah and New Mexico (at least) in 2008.

The Missoulian:

A coordinated Western states primary could go a long way to asserting the Western voice in the selection of presidential candidates, writer and thinker Dan Kemmis told the Missoula County Democrats Tuesday night.

But figuring out how and how much to change the system is not as easy as it might seem.
Proponents of a Western states primary suggest that the eight Rocky Mountain states band together to hold primaries and caucuses closer together and earlier in the season than Montana's is held now. That would compel candidates to visit Western states instead of flying over. And it would encourage Westerners to identify the regional issues they hold in common.

“It's trying to get presidential candidates to pay some attention to the West,” said Kemmis, who is working on the idea from a bipartisan perspective in his work as senior fellow in public policy at the University of Montana's Center for the Rocky Mountain West.

Kemmis also has a good review on how things are going right here.

Emmett O'Connell | January 16, 2006 | Comment on This Post (2 so far) Permalink: Western primary buzz in Montana Election Reform, Montana, Policy Issues, Presidential Politics, The Big Strategy

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