Mass. Primary Moves Forward
Massachusetts may have an enviable record for producing presidential candidates -- think Mike Dukakis, John Kerry and Mitt Romney -- but this year's March 4 primary date made the state all but certain to be irrelevant.
That's why Gov. Deval L. Patrick (D) today signed a bill into law moving the state's primary to Feb. 5, joining more than 20 states which are holding presidential voting that day.
The idea, according to lawmakers who quickly passed the measure, is to make sure the state's voters play a role in selecting the presidential nominees. The thinking is that candidates will be obliged to campaign in the state as part of the nationwide primary day.
But the history of such efforts to game the calendar suggests they don't always work out as expected. The state's former governor, Republican Mitt Romney, may indeed be forced to spend time in the Bay State to avoid losing there. But the other Republican candidates will simply stay away, conceding the state to its favorite son.
In a statement on the primary date change, Romney said: "I welcome Massachusetts' decision to move the primary to February 5th. With our already strong base of support in the state, I look forward to campaigning in the state and once again engaging the people of Massachusetts in a dialogue about our future."
On the Democratic side, none of the candidates has a particular advantage in Massachusetts, so they may look elsewhere for victories on that super Tuesday, leaving the state's voters largely ignored anyway.
--Michael D. Shear
Posted at 6:57 PM ET on Nov 26, 2007
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Posted by: lwrzesin | November 27, 2007 11:36 AM
Lets Use our heads, heart and sould this time around. I can not vote for Mr. Barrak Hussein Obama he is a Risk with no experience, I don't really care if Oprah is endorsing him, Oprah has not voted in 20 years, she first was chummy chummy with Hillary until Barrak Hussein Obama, Oprah does not care if he is the rite person to be our president, it is obvious that the man has stumble and has flipped flop after he did critized Hillary on the drivers license for illegals-it was hard for him to answer the question therefore there is no difference I can only say he is a big Risk, He has no experience and will be a risk for us all in this day and age, all Oprah knows he is Black and that is all she cares about. Review Bidens,Hillary's
or Richardson's resume-you can get them on line. With due conscience we can not vote for an inexperience jr Senator...No matter what miss Oprah says,,She only cars and endorces him becasue the man is black. We can not have any more bias on race. Please review, read and don't pay attention to the media or the Hate Hillary people... Why do you hate her??? there is no reason, she is a true Leader and has experience. Joe Biden, that is another candidate that can lead our country or even both Hillary and Biden..but please lets not make a vote that may be a risk!
Posted by: Iliadis | November 27, 2007 5:14 AM
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Actually, Barack Obama will be in Boston next week, as it says on the front page of his website.