Iowa will still be first, says governor
(CNN)—Despite the presidential nominating contest entering a heightened state of flux on Wednesday, Iowa Governor Chet Culver says there is still no doubt where Iowa will fall on the calendar.
“Iowa will go first, that is the bottom line,” said the first-term Democrat. “Historically there is always a lot of jockeying related to the presidential selection calendar. As Governor, I will do everything in my power to make sure that Iowa has the first caucus in the nation, and I’m confident we will.”
On Wednesday, Katon Dawson, the chairman of the South Carolina GOP, announced that his state’s Republican presidential primary would move from January 29 to January 19, in order to keep its place as the first southern state on the nominating calendar. That move will likely trigger a decision by New Hampshire officials to set their primary before January 19, in order to keep the Granite State’s traditional “first in the nation primary” status.
Any move by New Hampshire to change the date of its primary would likely trigger a provoke a similar move in Iowa.
“The Iowa caucuses are scheduled for January 14th, 2008, and it is my hope they remain scheduled for that day,” Culver went on to say. “That being said, we are going to continue to work with the Iowa Democratic party and the Democratic National Committee to make sure that Iowa remains first in the nation.”
–CNN Political Desk Editor Jamie Crawford
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Why should any one state be first to hold primary elections? We all know from previous elections that the state who holds the first primary has a huge influence on how the rest of the primaries go in other states. This is unfare to the rest of those voting in thier state primaries and gives too much power to one state. There should be a nationally set date for when all states hold their primaries.
STOP THE MADNESS!!! The crazy efforts to be first by Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and others will only serve to backfire for those states. The more games that are played, and the further they plan primaries and caucuses in early January or even December of 2007 show how badly we need to hold four rotating regional primaries in March-June as advocated by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). The states are quickly showing that they are incapable of handling this on their own. It's just too bad that we can't get this in time for 2008 and would have to wait until 2012!
Why must political groups have so much pride that they can't see past the tip of their own nose and consider the good of the American people?
All that moving up primaries does is increase the possibility of a candidate who has issues makes it through the primaries before those issues are brought to light.
The American people want the best possible choices, not the ones that managed to hide their issues best until the primaries are over.
Oh great. The pride of the Iowans has cursed this election cycle... again.
Amen brother James. All these states are just playing their part to the world powers than plan our lives. We have never had a choice really.
I also think that they know some of the lower candiates are moving up swiftly and need to check it by having earlier primaries to keep "their man" at the top.
If you'd like to know who the next president will be, put your money on Edwards. Don't listen to the polls, they'll be fixed soon enough. I'm just feel so blessed to see how our system works now. If I could only know about the stock market. 😉
Well if they want to keep people away from the polls in Iowa I guess having primaries during the worst part of the year is the way to go.
If they wanted to give the people the chance to get to know the candidates and not make them suffer to get to the primaries would be in April since the weather is bearable in most parts of the country and by then the candidates who are just there to put on a show should be gone.