We're the last in line
A recent story in the Mitchell Daily Republic discusses the fact that the GOP Presidential primary will likely be over and done with at the time we hold ours:
Yes, I had earlier argued against moving the South Dakota Primary. However, if everyone else is moving to a single primary day, in that case, it doesn't make much sense for us to not do so.
South Dakota’s presidential primary election next year apparently will be the last one in the nation.Read it all here.By the time the state’s voters cast their ballots June 3, 2008, the candidates from the Republican and Democratic parties will probably already be chosen.
“Conventional wisdom says the likelihood is, it’ll be decided by then,” said Chris Nelson, who as secretary of state is South Dakota’s top elections official. “There’s a one-in-a-million shot that will not occur.”
and....
Nelson, referring to Super-Duper Tuesday, said “a de facto single national primary day is being created.” Stateline.org, a public service group that publishes stories on states’ issues, said last week that the 2008 primaries and caucuses are shaping up as “the earliest start to a presidential election in history.”
Yes, I had earlier argued against moving the South Dakota Primary. However, if everyone else is moving to a single primary day, in that case, it doesn't make much sense for us to not do so.
Comments
With everyone else moving to a single primary day it doesn't make much sense for us to do so too.
If that won't work, let's leave it the way it is.
But the process itself is not well served if all of the states move up and the race is all but over in January before regular (non-political) people are even fully engaged in watching and listening to the candidates.