June 11, 2007
Go, Frank, Go!

House Speaker Frank Chopp wants to join state Republicans in trying to give the state Presidential primary some meaning. Good.

The Times editorial discussing the issue chided other state Democrats involved in the date selection process for seeking a meaningless day in March. Better to move to February says the Times.

Good idea. An even brighter one would be to not join the 22 states currently scheduled for the mega-primary now set to unfold on February 5th (full current schedule here, though it's in PDF). The odds of us trumping California, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, etc. for attention are remote. Better to shoot for a week or two after the 5th in the hope one or both nominations are not conclusively settled that day.

P.S. Here's a line from the editorial discussed above you don't see everyday in the MSM: "The GOP is more inclusive than the Democrats."

Posted by Eric Earling at June 11, 2007 07:23 AM | Email This
Comments
1. This might be a good year to hold back. Both fields seem wide open and it wouldn't be unusual if the big 3 or 4 split the Big Primary day. It may have some bite to hold back.

Posted by: swatter on June 11, 2007 08:38 AM
2. You can have the primary any day you want. The parties are still going to mostly use caucuses. I like primaries mostly because then I don't have to be in a room with Kucinich or Paul supporters. I ride the bus so I am around the mentally ill enough thank you.

However Caucuses are not a horrible way to choice a nominee. Ostensibly they allow for debate and force people who care to do something about it.

Posted by: Giffy on June 11, 2007 09:48 AM
3. We need to go for the gusto: Hold it in November 2007!

Posted by: EmmaPeel on June 11, 2007 10:59 AM
4. If the political parties want to use a vote of the people to narrow down their candidates, then they should pay the cost of the election.

Posted by: TL on June 11, 2007 11:05 AM
5. TL: if the people do not want to pay the cost of the primary election, they don't have to. They choose to do so.

Posted by: pudge on June 11, 2007 11:19 AM
6. Once again Frank Chopp is the voice of common sense for the Democratic Party versus "you are dumb we know best" Dwight Pelz, Greg Nickels, and Ron Dimms

Posted by: Green Lake Mark on June 11, 2007 11:36 AM
7. The Republican State Committee just decided to allocate 51% of the delegates to the winner of the primary. In the past we had allocated 33% to the primary. On the R side at least, the primary will matter this time.

I would recomend the go on Feb 12. The 5th is already too crowded.

Posted by: Chris Vance on June 11, 2007 11:37 AM
8. Chris: I think it was a good decision. I sorta liked having caucuses matter more because it encouraged participation, but this still encourages caucus participation, obviously.

Also, yes, the 5th is crowded, but it's a gamble: the race could be over by the 12th. Somehow I think this time around, the race might not be over until the convention, though (yet another reason to get involved: a chance of actually going to the national convention! yow!).

Posted by: pudge on June 11, 2007 12:12 PM
9. And Feb 12 is so fitting for Republicans - Lincoln's birthday. I refuse to celebrate President's day since there are some I don't want to remember. But I wear my American Flag necktie on 2/6, 2/12, and 2/22 every year - the greatest presidents of the 20th, 19th, and 18th centuries respectively.

Posted by: DAG on June 11, 2007 12:12 PM
10. It will be all over after the 5th your vote won't matter, much like voting in the statewide elections.

Feb. 5th winners:
Rudy G. & Hillary C.

I'm sure Ron Paul will pick up the small NH town that gets to vote at midnight, but that's likely all he'll get.

Posted by: Cato on June 11, 2007 01:38 PM
11. Why don't we beat the trend and move it back to, say, November?

Then, all of the other states can play leapfrog until we reach the idiotic point of having primaries for the next presidential election the day after the general.

Posted by: Hinton on June 11, 2007 03:15 PM
12. Rudy is a huge longshot. Not as much as Ron Paul, but still.

Posted by: pudge on June 11, 2007 04:35 PM
13. Democrats will have TWO very meaningful days next year:

The first, on Feb. 9th when Democrat caucuses begin the grassroots process to decide their national delegates.

The second, on Feb. 19th when Democrats, by majority vote, will decide Republican national delegates.

Posted by: Doug Parris on June 12, 2007 02:07 AM
14. Doug, that is unlikely. However, it will be obvious from the numbers whether it has happened, and if it does, then the WSRP can change its policy post facto.

Posted by: pudge on June 12, 2007 08:05 AM
15. MSN I NIIPET
MSN

Posted by: Bill on June 12, 2007 09:19 AM
16. MSN I NIIPET
MSN

Posted by: Bill on June 12, 2007 09:20 AM
17. Pudge,

You want to encourage participation...from who?

Posted by: BillClinton on June 16, 2007 09:45 PM
Post a comment
Name:


Email Address:


URL:


Comments:


Remember info?