[VRW Conspirator]

Maybe allowing our nominee to be chosen by two moderate, lily white states that seem to choose their favorite Republican candidates

Bumpo

[Alberta's Child]

He raises a lot of good points, but he's wrong about that particular point. The first three primary/caucus states in 2012 were Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

The results of these were:

Iowa: Santorum
New Hampshire: Romney
South Carolina: Gingrich

If anything, I would make the case that the early primaries are inconsequential in a presidential nomination process. Didn't McCain beat Bush in New Hampshire in 2000? And didn't Dick Gephardt win Iowa a few times, too?