Should New Hampshire and Iowa always be "First in the Nation,"

[elperromagico]

Poll question: Should New Hampshire and Iowa always be "First in the Nation,"

or should the states be shifted from election season to election season?

[Bluzmann57]

1. Since I live in Iowa

I suppose I should vote YES. Only a little biased though.

[elperromagico]

2. Since I live in Arkansas,

and do not get to vote for the Democratic nominee until next Tuesday, I suppose I'm a bit biased as well...

[R3dD0g]

8. Most Arkies will stay at home.

That would really hurt if we had more competitive races. But, since it seems 75% of the legislature will be unopposed, I guess it doesn't really make any difference.

This term limits is really crap. No one wants to chance running, winning and trying to understand the government only to have to leave after 3 terms of 60 days each.

[HFishbine]

3. Regional primaries

I'm convinced.

[ALago1]

4. Woah

This post just gave me a flashback to DU at the end of January and early February. Weird, man...

[Radical Activist]

5. Iowa yes, New Hampshire No

Having campaigned for Presidential candidates in both states I prefer Iowa. People in New Hampshire have a very arrogant attitude about being first and having to meet each candidate 5 times before they decide who to vote for. The media market is also more expensive in NH, which makes it more difficult for liberals who don't get lots of corporate cash, like Dean and Kerry did. NH is just too conservative to be choosing the Democratic nominee for Prez.

Iowa's populist politics is a better fit for the nation. They also had sense enough to reject Dean once they got to know him well. That made me a firm believer in Iowa.

But really, both states are too white and right of center to be first all the time. We should at least mix up what the other early states are. Just imagine if Oregon had gone first. Kucinich might actually be the nominee.

[Null Pointer]

6. President Kucinich

Wow. I never really thought of that. Why not rotate every election? One northeastern state, one midwestern state, one southern state, one western state.

I suppose (looking at the electoral college map of 2000) that this strategy tends to favor more conservative candidates for at least 3 out of every four elections.

[JI7]

7. since Iowa and New Hampshire are swing states

in the general november elections, both states are swing states and whichever party takes away their first in the nation status for primaries will most likely lose those states in the general election. all of the democrats who ran in the primary said they would continue supporting iowa and new hampshire as first in the nation voting states. i live in california and don't really have a problem with them being first in the nation though. i actually like how they pay attention and love hearing the personal reporting from regular citizens of how things are going.

[genius]

9. I preferred Kerry to Dean and I thought the talking caucusses were a good

idea so that people could reflect on their votes. However, I think it hurt Dennis. If more people had gotten to know Dennis better before they voted, he would have done much better.

[Radical Activist]

10. True...

Dennis should have spent a lot more time in Iowa but that's what he and his campaign manager decided to not do.

[bklyncowgirl]

11. Shift the states

Iowa and New Hampshire do not represent the rest of America.

One of the more fun things you can do during the early primary coverage is watch the candidates town meetings and play "count the black people"

"Hey! There's one. Oh no, forget it, that's the guy from Kerry's swift boat."

They do a good job of looking at the candidates but I think you'd see the same sort of thing in just about any state that really had a say.

I nominate New Jersey for first in the nation primary status. We're small, diverse, have loads of environmental and economic problems and a stunning backdrop for candidates at Liberty State Park. Photo ops anyone!

And the last shall be first!