The Badger Herald

OPINION & EDITORIAL

Primary responsibility

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Also by Badger Herald Editorial Board:

Many, many thanks (January 21, 2008)
Unnatural Selection (January 21, 2008)
Just reprimand (January 21, 2008)
A new Chance (January 21, 2008)
Show him the money (December 13, 2007)

by Badger Herald Editorial Board

Monday, January 21, 2008

Since summer 2007, a virtual rat race has ensued among many states eager to have an earlier primary election date in hopes of being more relevant to the nomination of the next Democratic and Republican presidential candidates. Michigan moved its primary date forward 24 days, Nevada 27 days and Florida a full 41 days. In addition, “Super Tuesday” — a day that traditionally makes or breaks many candidates’ nomination aspirations — has ballooned to include 24 states this year.

Yet amid all the commotion in the nomination process, Wisconsin remained idle, and wisely so.

With a myriad of states pushing up their primary dates to garner more attention from a large field of viable Democratic and Republican candidates, many may have, in fact, relinquished some of the attention they would have otherwise received. In these, the most wide-open primary elections in 50 years, a clear nominee from either party may not emerge until much later in the primary cycle.

Additionally, with so many states moving their primary dates to Super Tuesday, candidates will have to choose the most important places to campaign and will ignore a number of “less important” states along their campaign trails.

For these reasons, by the time the Wisconsin primaries arrive on Feb. 19 — a date shared with only the Hawaii Democratic caucus — this state may very well be a critical factor in nominating both parties’ next presidential candidates.

We are also pleased that Wisconsin decided to wait its turn this election season in light of the penalty our neighboring state of Michigan has incurred from the Democratic National Committee. Because of Michigan’s enormous jump forward, in defiance of the DNC’s proposed schedule, their delegates have been rendered inconsequential for the Democratic National Convention later this year. As a result, nearly all of the Democratic candidates have taken their names off the state’s ballot and have not campaigned there.

Certainly, an inconsequential primary would be a blow to Wisconsin and create quite the uproar; we are happy this state’s forbearance has helped avoid any such penalties.

Wisconsin citizens should be pleased their state has avoided the anxious trend of this year’s primary elections, which may prove to be well worth the wait.

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