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An update on the broken presidential primary system

By Aaron Street

Here's where we stand:

The Christian Science Monitor reports that the presidential candidates have taken sides in the rapidly-intensifying battle for early primaries:

"The pressure on defiant states increased over the weekend, with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, and former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina announcing they had signed a pledge not to campaign in any state that tries to jump ahead of the Democratic contests in New Hampshire, Iowa, Nevada, and South Carolina. The "four-state pledge" had already been signed by several of the lower-tier Democratic candidates, including Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson."

At the same time, news in two major early states makes it appear that these candidate pledges are no match for maneuvering by state legislatures and state parties. Michigan and Florida have both been moved their primaries ahead of the February 5 Super-Duper Tuesday Primary Day.

Michigan (January 15)
The New York Times reports that yesterday Michigan's Governor signed a bill moving their presidential primaries to January 15. "Ms. Granholm, who had supported pushing up the primary in Michigan to make her state more 'relevant' in the presidential nominating process, approved the bill despite a pact signed this weekend by several of the top Democratic candidates who agreed not to campaign in Florida, Michigan and other states that have violated party rules by leapfrogging ahead on the primary calendar."

Florida (January 29)
USA Today reports: "Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said Tuesday that he would veto any bill attempting to change Florida's presidential primary to a later date."
The DNC ruled that a January 29 primary would strip Florida of all delegates to the Democratic National Convention next year.
Meanwhile, a Florida Democratic Party activist has filed suit in Federal Court against both the DNC and the Florida Party seeking an injunction to retain Florida's national delegates.

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Full post as published by The Law and Politics Blog on September 05, 2007 (boomark / email).