PHOENIX (By Pat Flannery, Arizona
Republic) December 4, 2005
Lobbying
by Western Democrats could spur the party to embrace a proposal for an
eight-state Western regional presidential primary in 2008, a move that
many say would elevate regional issues onto the national agenda during
the next presidential campaign.
Proponents circulated petitions for the regional primary and talked it up among the more than 300 party activists attending the three-day Democratic National Committee meetings in Phoenix. Party strategist Michael Stratton of Colorado said there was a "good likelihood" it would emerge in recommendations due next weekend from a party commission examining presidential primary issues.
The Phoenix DNC meetings ended Saturday with fiery rhetoric from national Democratic Chairman Howard Dean. In his closing speech, Dean received several standing ovations as he attacked Republicans and President Bush for what he characterized as divisive immigration proposals and failed domestic and foreign policies.
Dean accused Bush of dishonesty about the U.S. role in Iraq and urged him to "stop making our troops a target."
He defended calls for "strategic redeployment" of U.S. forces, and while stopping short of advocating complete withdrawal, said National Guard troops "have no business being in a conflict like that."
In the wake of one of the Democrats' best off-year fund-raising efforts ever in 2005, Dean also vowed to maintain momentum going into 2006, with a goal of taking back a congressional majority and strengthening the run-up to the 2008 presidential race.
The regional proposal calls for simultaneous primaries or caucuses on Feb. 5, 2008, in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.
It would fall shortly after the Iowa and New Hampshire events, yet early enough that presidential hopefuls would have to visit Western states and tackle issues of interest there to win support, said Mary Gail Gwaltney, a New Mexico DNC member representing the Western Caucus on the party's executive board.
"There is great reception for the idea, because we don't need to be last," Gwaltney said. "We feel that a concerted effort . . . would bring many presidential candidates and their entourages to these states."
The plan was endorsed last year by the bipartisan Western Governors' Association and is backed by Democrats for the West, an organization founded by prominent Western party members. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a possible 2008 presidential candidate, and Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, a Republican, have joined forces to promote it.
Stratton, who sits on the DNC's Commission on Presidential Nomination Timing and Scheduling, said the proposal was well received when it was pitched to the panel earlier this year. The panel has its final meeting Saturday to craft recommendations for Dean.
Stratton said there is a possibility the panel will recommend that one Western state move its presidential selection process into January with Iowa and New Hampshire, with the rest joining a Feb. 5 regional primary. The combination would give Western voters a voice in the campaign agenda, Stratton said, and could help Democrats make inroads in high-growth swing states such as Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada.
The issue is not new. Westerners of all political persuasions have long complained of "fly-over" syndrome, where candidates bounce between Eastern or Midwestern states and California without stopping to address voters in the states in between.
Issues frequently cited as overlooked include Western growth, water and drought problems, public-lands policies, shifting agricultural needs, rural concerns and, until recently, immigration.
Arizona's own presidential primary was moved up for that reason. In 2004, it was on Feb. 3, by proclamation of Gov. Janet Napolitano. Napolitano or her successor would have to proclaim the new date to be part of a regional primary. Otherwise, state law sets the date on the fourth Tuesday of February in the presidential election year, state elections officials said.
Other states also would have to modify their laws or party rules to participate.
Arizona GOP Chairman Matt Salmon said the state party has not taken a position on the matter, but he expressed concern that it would dilute the attention Arizona gets with one of the nation's earlier primaries.
"There are a lot of things that are Arizona-specific that I think would get lost in the shuffle," Salmon said.
Noting that Bush has visited Arizona 13 times, Salmon said Arizona "has finally become a state with some clout. There's no question in my mind that we'd be diluted."
Arizona Democratic Chairman Harry Mitchell countered that the regional primary would increase Arizona's clout with the rest of the West by forcing candidates to spend more time in the region.
"I think we're all for it," Mitchell said. "It gives more power to the West, and it calls attention to issues that we care about."
Proponents circulated petitions for the regional primary and talked it up among the more than 300 party activists attending the three-day Democratic National Committee meetings in Phoenix. Party strategist Michael Stratton of Colorado said there was a "good likelihood" it would emerge in recommendations due next weekend from a party commission examining presidential primary issues.
The Phoenix DNC meetings ended Saturday with fiery rhetoric from national Democratic Chairman Howard Dean. In his closing speech, Dean received several standing ovations as he attacked Republicans and President Bush for what he characterized as divisive immigration proposals and failed domestic and foreign policies.
Dean accused Bush of dishonesty about the U.S. role in Iraq and urged him to "stop making our troops a target."
He defended calls for "strategic redeployment" of U.S. forces, and while stopping short of advocating complete withdrawal, said National Guard troops "have no business being in a conflict like that."
In the wake of one of the Democrats' best off-year fund-raising efforts ever in 2005, Dean also vowed to maintain momentum going into 2006, with a goal of taking back a congressional majority and strengthening the run-up to the 2008 presidential race.
The regional proposal calls for simultaneous primaries or caucuses on Feb. 5, 2008, in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.
It would fall shortly after the Iowa and New Hampshire events, yet early enough that presidential hopefuls would have to visit Western states and tackle issues of interest there to win support, said Mary Gail Gwaltney, a New Mexico DNC member representing the Western Caucus on the party's executive board.
"There is great reception for the idea, because we don't need to be last," Gwaltney said. "We feel that a concerted effort . . . would bring many presidential candidates and their entourages to these states."
The plan was endorsed last year by the bipartisan Western Governors' Association and is backed by Democrats for the West, an organization founded by prominent Western party members. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a possible 2008 presidential candidate, and Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, a Republican, have joined forces to promote it.
Stratton, who sits on the DNC's Commission on Presidential Nomination Timing and Scheduling, said the proposal was well received when it was pitched to the panel earlier this year. The panel has its final meeting Saturday to craft recommendations for Dean.
Stratton said there is a possibility the panel will recommend that one Western state move its presidential selection process into January with Iowa and New Hampshire, with the rest joining a Feb. 5 regional primary. The combination would give Western voters a voice in the campaign agenda, Stratton said, and could help Democrats make inroads in high-growth swing states such as Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada.
The issue is not new. Westerners of all political persuasions have long complained of "fly-over" syndrome, where candidates bounce between Eastern or Midwestern states and California without stopping to address voters in the states in between.
Issues frequently cited as overlooked include Western growth, water and drought problems, public-lands policies, shifting agricultural needs, rural concerns and, until recently, immigration.
Arizona's own presidential primary was moved up for that reason. In 2004, it was on Feb. 3, by proclamation of Gov. Janet Napolitano. Napolitano or her successor would have to proclaim the new date to be part of a regional primary. Otherwise, state law sets the date on the fourth Tuesday of February in the presidential election year, state elections officials said.
Other states also would have to modify their laws or party rules to participate.
Arizona GOP Chairman Matt Salmon said the state party has not taken a position on the matter, but he expressed concern that it would dilute the attention Arizona gets with one of the nation's earlier primaries.
"There are a lot of things that are Arizona-specific that I think would get lost in the shuffle," Salmon said.
Noting that Bush has visited Arizona 13 times, Salmon said Arizona "has finally become a state with some clout. There's no question in my mind that we'd be diluted."
Arizona Democratic Chairman Harry Mitchell countered that the regional primary would increase Arizona's clout with the rest of the West by forcing candidates to spend more time in the region.
"I think we're all for it," Mitchell said. "It gives more power to the West, and it calls attention to issues that we care about."
