Moving on Up

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Thursday moved the presidential
primary of the nation's most populous state to February, shaking up the 2008
race and making a one-day, mega-primary increasingly likely.

"Now California is important again in presidential nominating politics ... and we will get the respect that California deserves," Schwarzenegger said during a bill-signing ceremony. California has not played a prominent role in a presidential primary since 1972, when George McGovern beat Hubert Humphrey for the Democratic nomination. Schwarzenegger is hoping that by moving the presidential primary from June to Feb. 5, the state will again play a significant role.

California is one of as many as two dozen states that have selected Feb. 5 — or are considering that date — for one or both of their Democratic or Republican primaries or caucuses. Other states that have already set that date for their primary are Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho (Democrats only), Missouri, and Utah. Also, New Mexico Democrats have set their presidential caucus for Feb. 5, and the West Virginia GOP plans to hold its state convention, where selects presidential candidates, on that date.

Good for California. I think its sort of silly that certain states - often the more conservative ones in the Democratic process - have more say than others in choosing the nominee for either party. I support a national primary, although I think it could probably be a little later in the year.

The immediate fallout from such a process is that candidates will have to contend with NH and IA's earlier processes and the momentum they will carry over into the huge day as well as the need for massive fundraising and coordination in order to be competitive in many more states. This may, depending on the returns, move us to a brokered convention, which has its positives and negatives.

Let the candidate who knows how to reach* the most people win.

*That was a cheap plug for people power.