Yesterday Rep. Alonzo from Dallas filed HB 993 to move our state's Presidential primary up to the first Tuesday in February. Rep. Richard Peña Raymond from Laredo sent us a release saying that he endorses this bill.
I think we should definitely try for early primaries. It would make candidates focus more on our state (instead of all the focus on Iowa and New Hampshire). Other larger states are looking into this, such as Illinois, Florida, and possibly even California. It would cost candidates more money to come court our state and try to connect with voters, true. It's still worth a try. With campaigns starting earlier and earlier, this move seems to be logical. What do you think?
See the release from Rep. Raymond in the permalink.
Richard Peña Raymond
State Representative
District 42- Laredo
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Chuy Gonzalez
January 31, 2007 (512) 463-0558
Rep. Richard Peña Raymond Calls For Early Primaries During Presidential Years
~Statement By Rep. Raymond~
Austin-- HB 993, which was filed by State Representative Roberto Alonzo (D-Dallas) yesterday, would move all Primary Election dates to the first Tuesday in February during Presidential Election years. In 2008, the Primary Elections would be held on Tuesday, February 5. This would allow Texans to weigh in early in the process as to whom the Presidential Nominees will be for each party. It would give Texas more clout in deciding the Presidential Nominees than ever before.
Given that we will be electing a new President, since President Bush cannot seek re-election, and also given that the new President may be in office for eight years, it is imperative Texans have a strong say in whom the nominees for each party are going to be.
It is for this reason that I will be co-sponsoring HB 993 by Representative Alonzo and encourage all my colleagues -- Democrats and Republicans -- to do the same. I believe the voters of Texas want their votes to count early in the Presidential Primary process, just as the voters of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina will.
Moving all the Primaries to the first Tuesday in February only during Presidential Election years is in the best interests of Democrats, Republicans and all Texans. We should move all Primaries to the first Tuesday in February, so that there is not the double cost of having Presidential Primaries separate from other Primaries.
Obviously, this bill cannot pass unless both Democrats and Republicans agree it should pass. I strongly believe this is an example of where both parties can genuinely come together for what is in the best interests of Texas’ future. I hope all my colleagues in the House and Senate will support HB 993. It is also important that Governor Perry, Lt. Governor Dewhurst and Speaker Craddick as leaders of the Republican Party support this legislation. Otherwise, it will not become a reality.
I also call on all Presidential candidates, from both parties, to endorse this proposal. If they want to represent Texas as President, then they should begin by supporting legislation that is good for Texas.
I am totallly comfortable with Iwoa and New Hampshire making the decisions for us..
I love the idea of a national primary. Candidates will pay attention to more states. Then, we can really overwork the corruption guys to the point that they just give up. YAY NATIONAL PRIMARY!!!
Agreed. National Primary all the way. Most of the names on the ballot are moot by the time they are here.
This is an extremely short-sighted bill (not surprising for Raymond). In theory, a national primary sounds great. All it really does, however, is ensure that only the candidates with the most money have any semblance of a chance. The big money donors will decide well in advance of the primaries which candidates will get their moeny, and those candidates will then win the primary. It will completely eleminate any need for campaigning or debate. Maybe Reps. Raymond and Alonzo should spend more time trying to actually solve problems in Texas and less time trying to get some fluff piece of legislation passed just so they can say they passed something.
How ridiculous would a one-day, 50 state primary be?
I mean, seriously. What are the odds that one person even comes close to the 50% plus one needed to win the nomination outright?
So then what happens... some candidate wins by taking 37% of the vote, and we get one of those wonderful floor fights to see who wins the nomination. Backdoor deals, promises made, every candidate getting promised some sort of appointment in exchange for their delegates, yeah that'd be real fun. Democracy at it's finest.
And the money it would take, good lord the money. 90, 100 million maybe? How would anyone raise that. And if they can't, where do you choose to allocate your resources?
Worst. Idea. Ever.
Personally, I think bunching all the primaries together takes power *away* from the voters, and puts it *back* into the hands of the party insiders and power players, since they can help steer money to the preferred candidate, who can then afford to blanket the airwaves.
I'd rather see the primaries staggered at regular intervals, placing states with more diverse populations nearer the beginning of the process. I'd also like to see a logical grouping of a few states each primary day, so the process would work more like a tournament, and less like a horserace.
I suppose it's the difference between NCAA basketball's March Madness, where there's always the chance for a Cinderella story, and NCAA football's Bowl Championship Series, where the champion is winnowed down to two major teams by computers and insiders - Cinderella need not apply. (Tough luck, Boise State!)
I think we need to pair a national primary with campaign limits. If candidates can only campaign for 6 months before the primary (and NO EARLIER), are given free air time on network TV, and have some serious contribution limits - I think it would work. I know, that and 25 cents....
No way they are going to ever limit spending. That whole money equal free speech thingy. Someone with a ton of money could just opt out and do whatever the hell they want to do.
Maybe we can get a hybrid between the NCAA Bowls and March Madness. Divide the states into four groups, not necesarily by geography Group A,B,C,D. and have the member states in each group vote together. Every four years the order of the vote would change. ABCD, BCDA, CDAB, DABC. Maybe have them vote a month apart.
Tie that to two open debates for each Group and Each Candidate getting 30 minutes of Air time to do whatever the heck they want.
But, Yes, move Texas up. IT sucks to sit on the sidelines while everyone is running wild all over IOWA. Let them run wild here
RSS
This absolutely makes sense. Why should a handful of states get to determine who the presidential nominees are? By the time they get to us, half the field has dropped out. I am in favor of a huge single day primary, just like every other election.
Then maybe we can get them to travel to more than two or three small states.