Locke calls special session to cancel 2004 presidential primary

[Freddie Stubbs]

OLYMPIA -- Gov. Gary Locke yesterday called a one-day special session of the Legislature for Dec. 5 to cancel next year's Washington presidential primary.

Locke said the state shouldn't waste money on a primary that has no real meaning.

Democrats are using precinct caucuses Feb. 7, among the earliest in the country, to allocate national convention delegates. President Bush has no serious challenger for the GOP nomination. Republicans will caucus March 9. The primary had been set for March 2.

more: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/146340_cancel31.html

[montanacowboy]

1. He might as well

the primary means nothing in Wash. State - all decisions for delegates occur at the caucasus. I have never understood why they even had a primary. The only problem with caucauses is that people have to spend an evening at someone else's home arguing your point and defending your candidate with others - it's not as easy as casting a ballot. I much prefer the primary.

[jono]

5. It was supposed to be used

to pick 20% of the delegates this time around, but the DNC told the state "no." (See my post below.)

[theivoryqueen]

2. I was told that the strategic reason for cancelling primaries

was to force democrats to spend their own money to have them if they wanted to, without recieving matching funds - thus depleting the already underfunded coffers.

[Freddie Stubbs]

3. Who told you this?

And what makes you think that Gov. Locke would want this to happen?

[jono]

4. Nope.

The reason is that the DNC told the state Democratic party that they couldn't use the primary to determine 20% of delegates (as was planned) because it would be "confusing to voters and unfair to candidates" to pick 20% through an election and 80% through the caucuses. :eyes: Thus, it became a "beauty contest" and therefore a waste of money in the eyes of our elected officials. So unless the national party is trying to shoot itself in the foot, I doubt your theory.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/140905_primary23.html

[AWD]

6. This may be VERY bad

...especially for people like god_bush_n_cheney.

FEC laws state that you can receive the maximum amount from each contributor PER ELECTION CYCLE. If person X wants to give the max, he/she can give 2,000 dollars before the primary and then again before the general election.

With the primary being cancelled BY THE LEGISLATURE, it wipes out an entire election cycle, cutting in half the amount of money that can be raised by non-national campaigns.

Now, which party do YOU think that will hurt more?

[jono]

7. Is this true of the presidential primary?

Is it a third election cycle on top of the regular primary and the general, even for non-presidential candidates? The fall primary is still intact.