Granite State Sets the Date

At long last, NH SecState has announced the date of the first in the nation primary - January 8, 2008.

As we sit down to enjoy turkey, the presidential campaigns can give thanks the nominating calendar is finally coming into focus.

Iowa - Saturday, Jan 5
New Hampshire - Tuesday, Jan 8
Michigan - Tuesday, Jan 15
Nevada - Saturday, Jan 19
South Carolina - Tuesday, Jan 29
Florida - Tuesday, Jan 29

Tsunami Tuesday: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah

Primary Madness

The AP is reporting the Michigan Supreme Court has ruled a January 15, 2008 primary date can move forward. The mid-January date will mean Michigan leapfrogs over the Nevada caucuses as well as the South Carolina and Florida primaries. The Michigan Dems risk losing all of its delegates to the Denver Convention next summer, although they are contemplating holding a separate caucus at a later date to avoid the DNC-imposed punishment for breaking the scheduling rules.

We have 43 days until the Iowa caucuses - and we're still awaiting word from NH SecState John Gardner as to when he will schedule his state's first in the nation primary.

One wonders how the presidential campaigns are contemplating such a fluid (and chaotic) nominating calendar. The longest campaign in American history is going to be a mad winter dash across country - and then we're going to have two presumptive nominees campaigning for ten long months before the November vote.