“I happen to think the position we’re in right now is the correct one."

Spoken like someone who might endorse shifting the Florida presidential primary back to March like the national parties and the Florida Democratic Party and state legislators want, right?

Well, maybe not.

Those were the words of Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos this morning in some press availability time. On the one hand the senator holds some clout as the leading Republican in the state Senate majority. However, on the other, sticking up for Florida and its right to have a primary whenever it wants is a nice and easy issue to trumpet support of when you are running for the Republican nomination for US Senate in 2012 (No, the primaries for state and local office are later in the year in Florida, not concurrent with the presidential primary.).

Even if Haridopolos had potentially conflicting motivations here, that doesn't really say much for the general lack of response from other Republican legislators on this same issue. As FHQ said earlier today, it has been quiet from their corner of the state of Florida.

Not anymore -- at least not from one influential Republican.

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Here's the full post from Peter Schorsch at the saintpetersblog (St. Petersburg Times):

Haridopolos: Keep presidential primary in January '12

Despite calls from both major political parties leaders in Florida – and legislation already being filed that would do so – Senate President Mike Haridopolos said Thursday that the state’s 2012 presidential primary should not be moved from January to March, reports the News Service of Florida. Haridopolos, who will himself be on the ballot next year for U.S. Senate, said that even if either the Democratic or Republican National Committees strip Florida of all of its delegates, as the DNC did in 2008, it was worth holding the primary early. “Florida’s the most important state in the presidential election,” he said. “I happen to think the position we’re in right now is the correct one. We’re going to most likely decide who the next president of the United States is. I think it’d make a lot of sense if we did it early in the process.” Both Republican Party of Florida Chairman David Bitner and Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith have urged lawmakers to move the primary to March, which both national parties have said would preserve its delegate strength.

Recent Posts:

Democrat Files House Companion for March Presidential Primary in Florida

Expected House Companion Bill to Move Maryland Primaries Introduced

Two Bills to Move Maryland Presidential Primary Back Introduced

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Democrat Files House Companion for March Presidential Primary in Florida

On February 9, Representative Martin Kiar (D-97, Parkland) filed a companion bill (H 695) to S 860 which would also move the Sunshine state's presidential primary from the last Tuesday in January to the first Tuesday in March. This move would bring Florida back into compliance with both set of national party delegate selection rules, but again, like the Senate bill, it is being pushed -- so far at least -- by Democrats and not the Republicans in control of both chambers in the state legislature. The extent to which Republican lawmakers jump on board either of these bills as co-sponsors or just voicing support, will go a long way toward determining whether either bill has a chance of making it through to Governor Scott's desk to be signed into law. The RNC is certainly urging action, but Republican legislators have been quiet thus far.

Recent Posts:

Expected House Companion Bill to Move Maryland Primaries Introduced

Two Bills to Move Maryland Presidential Primary Back Introduced

Bill to Move Florida Presidential Primary to March Filed in Florida Senate

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Expected House Companion Bill to Move Maryland Primaries Introduced

As was mentioned in the post yesterday about the legislation introduced in the Maryland Senate to move the state's primaries, there was already a placemarker for a House companion bill (HB 671) to SB 820.

As was the case with the Senate bill, the House companion also has the support of the full leadership in the chamber. The bill is sponsored by Speaker of the House Michael Busch (D-30, Anne Arundel County) and co-sponsored by the majority leader, Kumar Barve (D-17, Montgomery County), and the minority leader, Anthony O'Donnell (R-29C, Calvert and St. Mary's Counties). Given the weight of the leadership in both chambers, these bills are more likely to pass than SB 501 and have the effect of moving the presidential primary from the second Tuesday in February to the first Tuesday in April and the primaries for state and local offices from the second Tuesday after the first Monday in September to the last Tuesday in June.

Recent Posts:

Two Bills to Move Maryland Presidential Primary Back Introduced

Bill to Move Florida Presidential Primary to March Filed in Florida Senate

DC Bill to Move Primaries to June

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Two Bills to Move Maryland Presidential Primary Back Introduced

There are now two bills that have been introduced in the Maryland Senate to shift the dates on which the Old Line state's primaries for state and local offices will be held. The express purpose of those bills is to move state and local primaries in midterm election years from the second Tuesday after the first Monday in September because it conflicts with the federal mandate in the MOVE act. That mandate requires at least a 45 day cushion between the primary election and the general election to allow for the printing of ballots and timely distribution of them to military and overseas voters. In addition, both bills also move the state's presidential primary from the second Tuesday in February in order to comply with national party rules regarding the timing of delegate selection events.

SB 501 was introduced on February 4 by Senator Roy Dyson (D-29, Calvert, Charles & St. Mary's Counties) and would move the presidential primary from February to the first Tuesday in March -- which would coincide with the plans in fellow Potomac Primary state Virginia. The midterm year primaries would be shifted from September up to the second Tuesday in July.

And just today (February 9) at the request of President of the Senate Thomas Miller (D-27, Calvert & Prince George's Counties), SB820 was introduced (cosponsored by the Majority Leader Robert Garagiola (D-15, Montgomery County) and Minority Leader Nancy Jacobs (R-34, Cecil & Harford Counties)). The bill would move the presidential primary to the first Tuesday in April and the midterm election year primaries for statewide and local offices to the last Tuesday in June. With a House companion (HB 671) on the way and the full bipartisan support of the Senate leadership, this bill would presumably have the better chance of winning passage and making to Governor O'Malley's desk. It also lends some credence to the presidential primary date discussed in the Washington Examiner's piece over the weekend about the potential breaking up of the Potomac Primary.

Still, that first Tuesday in April date is an interesting one. FHQ would speculate that there are a couple of possible reasons for that date. First, one could guess that Maryland legislators are hoping to catch lightning in a bottle for the second consecutive cycle by hoping that a supposed March 6 Super Tuesday proves inconclusive in wrapping up the Republican nomination race. That would leave the Maryland primary in that sparsely populated area of the calendar between early March and the Pennsylvania primary in late April. In the event that happened, Maryland -- along with Mississippi and Illinois -- could prove quite consequential to the Republican race. The other idea that crosses my mind is that this could also be an effort at another regional primary. There has been some chatter about officials in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia discussing the possibility. And the first Tuesday in April is a date that Pennsylvania has used in the past -- one of the two times the commonwealth moved its presidential primary. At this point, I'm more inclined to put stock in the first option rather than the second. But we'll see. None of those other states have made any moves at the state legislative level on this front as of yet.

Recent Posts:

Bill to Move Florida Presidential Primary to March Filed in Florida Senate

DC Bill to Move Primaries to June

"New rules threaten region's 2012 primary clout"

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Bill to Move Florida Presidential Primary to March Filed in Florida Senate

Florida Senator Arthenia Joyner (D-Tampa) filed S 860 on February 8. The bill would shift the date on which the Sunshine state's presidential primary is held from the last Tuesday in January to the first Tuesday in March. FHQ has for some time now discussed the importance of Florida in terms of what the 2012 presidential primary calendar will ultimately look like. Out of compliance in 2008 and still, by law, non-compliant for 2012, a Florida move to a later date would be the first necessary domino to fall in determining when Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina will hold their 2012 delegate selection events. Florida is not the only non-compliant state, but it is the earliest, and its presence at the end of January is keeping the beginning of the process there -- at least hypothetically -- and not in February where both of the national parties prefer the presidential primary process to begin.

The other complicating factor here is partisanship. Joyner, the minority leader in the Senate, is a Democrat and while Florida being non-compliant in the Democratic nomination process may not be all that consequential* with the nomination likely being uncontested, Republicans control the state legislature and the executive branch. The GOP in the state holds the power and with a contested nomination race in 2012 may prefer influence, albeit with penalties affecting the size of their convention delegation, over following the rules.

That said, a bill has been filed to move the state's primary to a later, compliant date, but the ball is in the Republican majority's court. The Florida legislature convenes on March 8.

*Democrats in states with unified Republican control have to, according to the DNC's delegate selection rules, make a "good faith" effort to make the necessary timing change through legislative channels to have any hope of a waiver from the Democratic Rules and Bylaws Committee in the event a non-compliant primary is held (Rule 20.C.7).

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DC Bill to Move Primaries to June

Early last week, we discussed the possibility that Washington, DC would shift both the district's presidential primary back and its primaries for other offices up on the calendar for 2012 elections. The next day (February 1) Councilwoman Mary Cheh introduced B19-90 which accomplishes just that. The legislation moves both sets of primaries to the first Tuesday after the second Monday in June (In 2012, that's June 12.); as opposed to the June or July possibilities mentioned before the bill was introduced. The presidential primary would move back from the second Tuesday in January and the primaries for local offices up from the first Tuesday after the second Monday in September.

Yeah, that's right, from January to June. The council moved the presidential primary from May to January for the 2004 cycle and moved the primary to February to coincide with Maryland and Virginia on the second Tuesday in February in 2008. And either there was a sunset provision on the move to February for 2008 that is not apparent in the resulting law or the current legislation incorrectly identifies the date of the presidential primary as the second Tuesday in January. Well, that or there was an effort during the 2009-2010 council session to move the primary from February back to January with no one noticing. FHQ is guessing sunset.

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"New rules threaten region's 2012 primary clout"

Over the weekend, Freeman Klopott penned a nice piece in the Washington Examiner on the apparent break up of the 2008 Potomoc Primary, the subregional primary the brought the primaries in Washington, DC, Virginia and Maryland together (see full article below). The outcome was attractive enough that the Democratic Change Commission recommended to the Rules and Bylaws Committee that the 2012 Democratic Delegate Selection Rules include some provision that would entice state to hold similar "clustered" contests. From the looks of it, the addition of extra delegates was not enough to keep the model regional primary together for the 2012 cycle. There is still time in the legislative session, but with Virginia already close to moving its primary to March and DC considering a later primary that would coincide with those for state and local offices, it doesn't necessarily look good for the Potomac Primary in 2012.

Regional primaries are difficult to coordinate across states and especially state governments and even when they are successfully managed the initial intention is rarely met. Just ask the southern participants in the Southern Super Tuesday in 1988.

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New rules threaten region's 2012 primary clout

by Freeman Klopott, Washington Examiner

New presidential primary rules passed by the Democrat and Republican national committees are busting the bonds that made the 2008 "Potomac Primary" possible and threatening the Washington region's clout in 2012.

In 2008, Virginia, D.C. and Maryland all held their primaries on Feb. 12. It was just one week after "Super Tuesday," when 24 states voted on presidential candidates. But there were no clear front-runners for the party nominations following the Feb. 5 votes, and the Washington region became key for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Forming the Potomac Primary guaranteed the Washington region electoral pull.

"We'd like to have a regional primary again to help make sure we remain important to the candidates," said David Meadows, executive director of the D.C. Democratic Committee.

But "right now both parties have coordinated what they want to do with the primary calendar because things got out of hand in 2008, " said political scientist Josh Putnam, who tracks the primary calendar on his blog Frontloading HQ. "Now states with primaries scheduled for February are stuck having to change that."

On Feb. 1, Virginia broke ranks. Its Senate passed a bill to set the commonwealth's primary for March 6. If that's the final date, then under the new party rules Virginia's Republican Party will have to change its delegate apportionments from its winner-take-all model to one that distributes them based on the number of votes each candidate receives. If the party doesn't, Virginia risks losing half its delegates at the Republican National Convention.

Meanwhile, Ward 3 D.C. Councilwoman Mary Cheh has introduced a bill tentatively setting the District's primary for June 5. Gov. Martin O'Malley is "likely" to introduce s bill setting Maryland's primary for April 3, spokesman Shaun Adamec said.

That's the first day new party rules allow for winner-take-all states to vote and, Meadows said, "we're hoping D.C. will join Maryland."

Adamec said, "we'd like to have a regional primary again, and hope the other states join us in April."

Down in Virginia, though, "we didn't think about a regional primary," said Sen. Jill Vogel, R-Winchester, who introduced the March 6 bill. "We wanted to have it on the earliest day we could."

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Presidential Primary Bill Introduced in Kansas Senate

On February 7, SB 128 was introduced in the Kansas Senate. The bill addresses a section of the Sunflower state's election law that the House bill (HB 2126) canceling the 2012 presidential primary does not alter in any way. This is relevant because the earlier post concerning the House bill mentioned that the legislation seemed to eliminate the presidential primary permanently. It does not. That bill simply does not include the subsection that the Senate bill is now changing.

The Senate bill changes references to the 2012 primary to 2016; essentially delaying the 2012 presidential primary in Kansas. The primary will be held, if state-appropriated funds are available, on the first Tuesday in April unless the Kansas secretary of state identifies an alternate date on which at least five other states are holding delegate selection events. The secretary of state has to inform the governor and other state officials of the certification of an alternate on or before November 1 of the year preceding the presidential election.

[FHQ will go ahead and pencil Kansas in on our 2016 presidential primary calendar. Kidding, sort of.]

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Virginia House Unanimously Passes Bill to Move Presidential Primary to March

The Virginia House of Delegates today passed HB 1843 in a 99-0 vote to move the state's presidential primary from the second Tuesday in February to the first Tuesday in March. The House has followed the Senate's lead from last week in passing a similar bill. Both bills have to work their way through the opposite chamber now -- something that is seemingly a formality given the support each bill has received in its respective chamber -- before one heads off to Governor Bob McDonnell for his signature.

SB 1246 has been received by the House and has been referred to the Committee on Privileges and Elections there. The legislature is in session until February 26 so the move of the primary should be wrapped up, at least on the legislative end, by then.

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Kentucky isn't the only state to consider an August presidential primary during the 2012 cycle

Yesterday, FHQ detailed the bill passed by the Kentucky Senate to shift the commonwealth's presidential primary from May to August. But the Bluegrass state is not the only state to have proposed a bill that would move a presidential primary to August for the 2012 cycle. Two years ago, the Arkansas legislature, almost simultaneous with the passage of the bill that eliminated the state's separate presidential primary (moving it back to May), proposed a bill that would have moved the Natural state's primary to the third week in August.

The reasoning behind the move(s) may have been different in both cases, but the idea of a later (out-of-window) presidential primary is apparently not a new one.

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