RNC adopts new 2012 presidential primary schedule

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Washington Post:

By Rosalind S. Helderman
August 6, 2010

KANSAS CITY, MO. -- The Republican National Committee adopted a new schedule for the 2012 presidential primaries Friday, agreeing to a plan worked out in concert with Democrats and designed to delay the start of the campaign season.
The proposal, drafted by a special RNC panel, gained approval from more than the necessary two-thirds of the committee's 168 members.

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The new schedule is designed to make it difficult for a candidate to rack up an insurmountable number of delegates early in the process, forcing candidates to campaign across the country.
Under the new schedule, no state would hold a primary or caucus before the first Tuesday in February 2012, in attempt to avoid a repetition of 2008, when the Iowa caucuses were held Jan. 3.
Iowa and New Hampshire would retain their status as the nation's first contests, held in February, joined by South Carolina and Nevada.

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Ultimately, enough committee members were persuaded that the new schedule would be an improvement over recent cycles. The new schedule will go into effect only if the Democratic National Committee adopts similar primary rules before the end of the year.

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We Have A Winner

 

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There was some grumbling, to be sure; but everyone realized full well that something had to be done. Otherwise Iowa and New Hampshire would be holding their contests sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas 2011.