Blame Florida for the GOP's holiday craziness

Washington Examiner ^ | Byron York Chief Political Correspondent

[Cincinatus' Wife]

....The move has had the most effect in Iowa. For example, it's normal to have the last debate a few days before the caucuses. When Iowa was planning to hold the caucuses on Feb.6, a Monday, a debate was planned for the Thursday before, on Feb.2. Now, with the caucuses on Jan. 3, it's just not possible to hold a debate a few days beforehand, unless Republicans wanted to do it on NewYear'sEve. So the last debate of a debate-packed season was Dec.15 -- nearly three weeks before the caucuses. Because of Florida's move, Iowa voters won't get a last look at all the candidates.

The final days of the Iowa campaign will also have a weird start-and-stop quality. "Everybody is going to hit the pause button over this weekend," says party Chairman Strawn. Christmas break will be followed, Strawn says, by "an intense sprint at the end trying to capture the attention of caucus-goers who have kids home from school." And then there will be New Year's.

Florida's move will have one more effect, this one felt nationally. Because of all the reshuffling, there will be a strangely quiet period in the Republican race in February. After voting in Colorado, Minnesota, and Missouri on Feb. 7, there will be three weeks before the next contests, on Feb. 28 in Arizona and Michigan. There would have been no gap had Florida not broken the Republicans' carefully planned schedule.

In the end, Florida's move might backfire. State Republicans wanted an earlier primary to make sure Florida would play a major role in selecting the candidate, even if the race was over quickly. But if the campaign stretches out for months, it will be later primaries, and not Florida, that could prove decisive. It could turn out that Florida Republicans outsmarted themselves....

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Schedule ??

Jan 3 - Iowa
Jan 10 - New Hampshire
Jan 21 - South Carolina
Jan 31 - Florida
Feb 4 - Nevada
Feb 7 - Colorado, Missouri, Minnesota

[3 week break]

Feb 28 - Arizona and Michigan
March 6 "Super Tuesday" - Virginia, Ohio, Alaska, Georgia, Idaho, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Wyoming [Texas' vote reportedly will be delayed due to Supreme Court's scheduled hearing on redistricting]

1144 delegates needed for the win.

[mathluv]

Texas has been changed due to issues with redistricting. It has been moved to April.

[Leep]

There should only be 4 primary dates. One for each region of the country. Perhaps NE,SE,NW,SW?
Otherwise, the candidate for President has been decided for I get my vote in my state.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Thank you for the update.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

It’s a quandary.

But then it could become a regional battle.

It’s far from a perfect method.

I don’t think perfection is possible — never has been achievable.

Maybe not even desirable.

[Sybeck1]

My state doesn’t vote until March. Terrible.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

My state doesn’t vote until March. Terrible.

Up until Super Tues, state delegates will be awarded proportionally to the candidates based on their vote totals. After that, I believe it is winner take all.

Also states that went against the rules of the GOP and moved their primaries were "punished" by losing a portion of their delegates (but that could be revisited closer to the convention depending on how things look).