It has seemed ridiculous to me since I started paying attention to politics that such massive importance is placed in Iowa and New Hampshire as the kickoff points for a campaign's success or failure.
Florida's not threatening to necessarily upset that applecart, but they are making some demands that go clearly against the will of the national parties and their established preferences.
HT: Politico
Florida threatens to shred 2012 calendarA deepening standoff between national Republicans and top party leaders in Florida has the potential to blow up the 2012 presidential primary calendar — and do lasting damage to the GOP in the nation’s largest swing state.
At issue is the early date of Florida’s presidential primary election, currently set for Jan. 31, 2012. As of right now, it’s the first primary scheduled.
That’s in blatant violation of Republican and Democratic National Committee rules, which say only four states — Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada – can hold primary elections before the beginning of March.
But despite the pleas of GOP officials in Washington, the Republican leaders of Florida’s legislature say they have no intention of shifting the date in a way that could diminish the Sunshine State’s influence in 2012. Key officials signaled they would accept nothing less than going fifth on the primary calendar — not leapfrogging the four early states, but clearly marked off from the other 45...
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