First '08 contest could be in '07

If there is anything our two political parties need to agree upon -- other than Iraq and health care -- it is that states should be penalized for moving their primary contests to an earlier date.  Because of the Democrats' decision last year to hold the '08 Nevada primary after Iowa and before New Hampshire, that set off a chain reaction of states that want to move up as well.  Now New Hampshire wants to move up even earlier, as does Iowa.  The end result could be that the first presidential primary could be held in late-2007.

In 2004, here was how the primary schedule went for the early states:

• January 19th - Iowa
• January 27th - New Hampshire
• February 3rd - Arizona, Delaware, Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina
• February 7th - Michigan, Washington

As of now, this is what the 2008 primary schedule looks like:

• January 14th - Iowa
• January 19th - Nevada
• January 22nd - New Hampshire
• January 29th - South Carolina, Florida
• February 5th - Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah

With all of the last minute maneuvering, this is what the primary schedule will probably look like unless there is some partisan intervention:

• Iowa votes within one week of New Years.
• New Hampshire votes in the first week of January

This is nuts!  At the rate we are going, by the time we get ready for 2012, the first Iowa Caucus will probably be held in November of 2011.

Comments

[George]

There should be a lottery for ordering of primaries. Either that or just do it all on one day like every other election.