Florida May Move To Front in 2008 Primaries

It looks like Florida may become much more important in the 2008 Presidential primaries. News has been breaking that the Florida legislature is trying to move the Florida Primary up to the front of the pack, right after New Hampshire. This move could put Florida on the same day as South Carolina, January 29th. 

The state of Florida and its voters may soon play a more crucial role in the presidential primary. Lawmakers said Thursday they want Florida’s presidential primary pushed up to January 2008 to increase the state’s political influence

With a primary on Jan. 29 Florida would share the stage with South Carolina. On Feb. 5, the contest would take place with eight other states.

Here are some of the remarks by the Florida legislature and it is also important to note, the bill has bipartisan support.

Rivera and Ring said they think it’s unfair that candidates come to Florida to raise money and then spend it in states with earlier contests like Iowa and New Hampshire.

“Candidates are going to have to take Florida a little more seriously and not view it as just an ATM,” Mo Elleithee, a veteran of the Wesley Clark, Bob Graham and Bill Bradley presidential campaigns, said.

Elleithee said an earlier Florida primary would present candidates with new challenges and opportunities.

“Candidates have to spread their schedule a little more,” he said. “Other candidates get more opportunities to break through in terms of media coverage because you’re not necessarily sharing every media cycle with every other candidate.”

“We know for sure that Iowa and New Hampshire do not represent the diversity of the United States of America,” Sen. Jeremy Ring, D-Margate, told the House Ethics and Elections Committee Thursday. “We know the state of Florida does. We know that, as Florida goes, so the country goes.”

Ring and Rep. David Rivera, R-Miami, who will sponsor the House bill, said their proposal has support from both chambers. It is also one of House Speaker Marco Rubio’s “100 Innovative Ideas for Florida’s Future,” which is a centerpiece of his agenda for the next two legislative sessions.

This could give us a very big say in who will the nominee in 2008. We all know John Edwards is the best candidate for Florida. He has personally helped workers in our state when he helped janitors at the University of Miami who were fighting for higher wages and the right to form a union. He represents the values of hard work and wants to reward that. Now we must help him achieve victory in Florida!