"National primary" on Feb. 5th, 2008

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    * January 14 - Iowa caucuses
    * January 19 - Nevada Caucuses
    * January 22 - tentative date for the New Hampshire Primary
    * January 29 - South Carolina Primary
    * February 5 - The So-called "National Primary."Delaware, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, New Jersey, New York, California, Alabama, Mississippi, Massachussets, Texas and several other states

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election%2C_2008_timeline

[bullmoose88]

i dont think so...with no VP or incumbent for either side, the candidates seem even and geographically diverse enough to ensure either a) a mixed result preventing someone from being the absolutely clear favorite or b) that someone not making a big showing on the 5th of Feb couldnt hit the jackpot in another big day of primaries which would be (ideologically and/or geographically) to his/her advantage.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

This clumping of primaries on February 5 might just cause there to be a convention that actually selects the candidate instead of just anointing one.  If so, it'll be the first time since the 1976 Republican Convention that it will have happened.

[Reignman]

The GOP maybe, but not the Dems.

[MODU]

I say Yes/Yes only because after that point, the following states will have less candidates to choose from as some of the lesser candidates will drop out.  The remaining candidates will be categorized as 1st, 2nd, 3rd... based on the prior primary results, tainting the rest of the primaries, meaning there will be little movement between the top two candidates for either party at that point.

[Aizen]

I think the GOP will be done by that date but I can see the Democrat primaries going beyond that date.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Yes/Yes - not countin Sharpton and Kuccinich who go to the very end just b/c.

[JSojourner]

For the first time in decades, I think the 2008 primaries -- possibly in both parties -- will carry into March and maybe even April.

[Mr. Morden]

For the first time in decades, I think the 2008 primaries -- possibly in both parties -- will carry into March and maybe even April.

Honestly (and I am *not* exaggerating when I say this), there might not be any primaries left in April.  In '04, the only April primaries/caucuses were PA, CO, and NC, and all of them will likely be moving up this time.  In all probability, there won't be any primaries left in April, and the only states with primaries in May/June will be IN, KY, OR, and a few really small states like ID and MT.  I can't imagine any kind of realistic scenario that would involve things still being unresolved until those last few states are voting.

[JSojourner]

For the first time in decades, I think the 2008 primaries -- possibly in both parties -- will carry into March and maybe even April.

Honestly (and I am *not* exaggerating when I say this), there might not be any primaries left in April.  In '04, the only April primaries/caucuses were PA, CO, and NC, and all of them will likely be moving up this time.  In all probability, there won't be any primaries left in April, and the only states with primaries in May/June will be IN, KY, OR, and a few really small states like ID and MT.  I can't imagine any kind of realistic scenario that would involve things still being unresolved until those last few states are voting.

You make a good point.  I forget that many states are rushing to move up their dates and make Iowa and NH less relevant.  (Or make themselves more relevant.)

I guess the journalist in me feels like I really missed out.  I was born in 1965 and started to ply my trade at the tender age of 18.  But by then, there were no "brokered" conventions, deadlocks and backroom machinations that lasted into the wee hours of the morning.

Oh to have been a fly on the wall in 1960, when JFK had to choose a running mate! 

[StateBoiler]

For the first time in decades, I think the 2008 primaries -- possibly in both parties -- will carry into March and maybe even April.

Honestly (and I am *not* exaggerating when I say this), there might not be any primaries left in April.  In '04, the only April primaries/caucuses were PA, CO, and NC, and all of them will likely be moving up this time.  In all probability, there won't be any primaries left in April, and the only states with primaries in May/June will be IN, KY, OR, and a few really small states like ID and MT.  I can't imagine any kind of realistic scenario that would involve things still being unresolved until those last few states are voting.

I can.

We right now have six media-anointed major candidates, three in either party.

These six candidates are building up a ton of money.

One bad result in New Hampshire or Iowa will stop their campaign, due to the aforementioned money.

Now we all go into this one big national primary day, and the primaries get split up evenly due to favorite sons (daughters), regional prejudices, outlying factors and concerns, etc.

We could come out of this day with a 3-way split in either party.

This is all assuming that no candidate runs away as a winner and that the parties are unable to get all the big donors behind one politician.

Likely? No.

More likely though than previous elections? Most definitely.

[jimrtex]

    * January 14 - Iowa caucuses
    * January 19 - Nevada Caucuses
    * January 22 - tentative date for the New Hampshire Primary
    * January 29 - South Carolina Primary
    * February 5 - The So-called "National Primary."Delaware, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, New Jersey, New York, California, Alabama, Mississippi, Massachussets, Texas and several other states

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election%2C_2008_timeline

The California Assembly passed (SB 113) the February 5th primary on Tuesday on a 46:29 vote.  It had earlier passed the Senate on a 31:5 vote.

It splits the presidential primary and state primary (to June).

In Texas, the House Elections Committee hear testimony on bills that would move the state primary AND presidential primary to February.  The legislators and professional political hacks were generally in favor.  Election officials were concerned about pushing the preparatory work back into the previous year.  For example, absentee ballots would be mailed on Christmas Eve.  Voter registration cards are also distributed at the end of the odd year, beginning of the even year.   The city of Houston holds its elections in November of odd years, with the possibility of a December runoff, creating the possibility of overlapping elections.