Thank you, and everyone else, for your well-reasoned responses.
The one thing that would possibly even the playing field a bit would be to have a National Primary Day, with no cross-over voting allowed.
That would perhaps be a better solution to all the front-loading.
>> The one thing that would possibly even the playing field a bit would be to have a National Primary Day, with no cross-over voting allowed. That would perhaps be a better solution to all the front-loading.>>
I think you’re close, but I think a better deal would be to have different states front loaded in each cycle so that no state or region becomes too important. The state of Iowa has simply gotten out of control with what is a cottage industry of literally blackmailing candidates into events up there. Folks don’t know it generally, but the Ames Straw Poll and all those other events in Iowa pour money into the coffers of the Iowa Republican Party (and Dem Party when they are in a contest too) and it’s all about Iowan’s getting money from all over the country.
Dirty little secret about all of that mess is the money, as if the stupid hamburger and pancake flipping weren’t bad enough.
And yet, I do think there’s a value in having the candidates having to meet folks on a retail basis for at least part of the process. Just not the same folks evry four years.