Iowa may move up date for caucuses

[Bucky]

Source: Globe Gazette (Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Florida Legislature's decision on Thursday to move the state's presidential primary to Jan. 29 could have an effect on the date of Iowa's leadoff caucuses.

Party insiders say Florida's move — which is expected to be signed into law by Florida Gov. Charlie Crist — will make it more likely that Iowa will need to move its caucuses, possibly as soon as within a week of New Year's Day, 2008.

``I would not be surprised if we have to move ourselves to Jan. 7,'' said former Iowa Democratic Party chairman Rob Tully.

Iowa's caucuses are tentatively set for Jan. 14, with New Hampshire's primary set to follow eight days later.

Read more: http://www.globegazette.com/articles/2007/05/04/latest_news/doc463b2a2a90bc1917929206.txt

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Let the bidding begin!

[William769]

1. And the caucus wars begin!

I say hold all 50 on the same damn day & be done with it.

[aspencer]

3. And let the one with the most money win

There's a reason for the caucus ... it allows for a level playing field.

[William769]

4. Then why is it so important ot be first?

[Feron]

14. Certainly not for voters

I don't vote in primaries because by the time it rolls around to my state, the nominee has already been decided.

A June nationwide one day primary works for me. Especially with the Internet, getting your message out and getting exposure is easier and cheaper than ever.

[bigwillq]

6. Me too.

In June.

I think it would be equal for all candidates. By that time, your campaign should be fully financed and most Americans should know who you are by then.

If it's June of an election year and your campaign isn't financed or people still don't know who you are then you don't have much of a chance anyway.

[rucky]

2. Now what could have in$pired that deci$ion? n/t

[DavidDvorkin]

5. Soon they'll all be fighting over August

August 2007!

[Diane R]

7. I'm personally very tired of Iowa's sense of entitlement. Most states never see ANY candidates.

I live in Washington State. I'm so tired of hearing how people in Iowa get to see so many candidates that they take it for granted. In eastern Washington, we rarely, rarely see a candidate...and only after it's a foregone conclusion.

Iowa has had it's turn. It's time for other states to have an opportunity to be involved.

[PurityOfEssence]

8. What a stampede of idiocy

Let's just do them all on New Year's Day and be done with it.

It's just stupid to coronate the candidate earlier; it's to everyone's best interests to have a long and incremental campaign; it shows who can take it, who can dish it out, who connects with voters and whose ideas resonate more. This way, we get a replay of 1984 where Mondale was rammed down our throats, and worse than anything, it allows the enemy a long period of time to focus on the candidate.

[IndianaGreen]

12. And it guarantees months of buyers' remorse

We should do like the Brits and have a much shorter campaign. We should also have the primaries evenly spread out.

[PFunk]

9. Okay this is getting out of hand...

Time to set up a national primaries more closer to the election date. that way every state would have a say in selecting the canadate.

[Critters2]

10. I was hoping to be in Iowa for the caucuses!!

If they do it in early January, I probably will be!!

Yes, I'm putting my own selfish wants before what's good for the nation. Why should I be any different?

[IndianaGreen]

11. Iowa sure did us a lot of good in 2004 by choosing a loser as the caucus winner!

Small state with unrepresentative population of the US as a whole, and with an ego bigger than Jupiter.

[Critters2]

13. I worked the Dean campaign before the last caucuses

The party regulars were being well coached by people from out of state about how "electable" Kerry was. I could NOT convince them otherwise, because they trusted "party people". If Iowans had been left to make their own decision, and if the DNC and DLC types had stayed the hell away, things might have gone differently.

Besides, you had the right to vote. I never understand why people GIVE Iowa so much power.

Didn't they hold a primary in your state?