FROM: SCPols.com – A SUPPLEMENT TO CAMPAIGNS & ELECTIONS MAGAZINE [LINK]
PUBLISHED MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 2007
In the latest move on the primary chessboard, Michigan could move its primary up to Jan. 15, but South Carolina Republican leaders aren’t concerned.
Katon Dawson, chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party, said it was unfortunate that U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., has pushed for the move because it throws off an already-delicate primary schedule.
“A Democrat[ic] senator shouldn’t control Republican politics in a state,” Dawson said.
Dawson said he could have moved South Carolina’s date to Jan. 12, but wanted to keep the tradition of the early primaries intact. South Carolina worked with New Hampshire leaders to move the primary date here to Jan. 19 in order to give the Granite State, as well as Iowa, time to hold their early events, he said.
Keeping South Carolina the first Southern state was important to Republican leaders here, which is why the primary date was moved from its original slot of Feb. 2, Dawson said.
In South Carolina, the Republican Party chairman can move the primary date when desired, while most other states require legislative action. While he likely won’t move the primary ahead of Michigan because it doesn’t affect the first-in-the-South status, he could not rule it out when called Monday.
He said, though, Michigan’s move likely wouldn’t take away from the South Carolina spotlight in 2008. Republicans here have picked the eventual GOP nominee every time since 1980, which Michigan hasn’t been able to, Dawson said.
U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., won Michigan in 2000 while President Bush won South Carolina and McCain returned to the Senate.
Taft Matney, a Greenville-based political consultant, said the Michigan move likely won’t affect South Carolina because it is a northern state, and has a much different voting base than here. However, he said he expects state Republicans would at least consider moving their date again if a Southern state would make a move.
“At this rate, we will elect the next president by Halloween,” he said.
Dawson said this is a perfect example of why the parties should set primary dates and not let Congress become involved, a proposal that has been tossed around this election season.
Republican and Democratic leaders nationwide have used threats of stripping away convention delegates from states moved ahead of Feb. 5, but that didn’t stop Florida from moving its date up to Jan. 29.
That move, in part, sparked South Carolina Republicans to move to Jan. 19. The state Democratic Party will hold its primary on Jan. 29.
It was reported Friday that the two parties in Michigan were close to settling on a joint primary as opposed to the caucus the Democratic Party typically holds. However, Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer told the Associated Press he still wanted to show the Democratic National Committee plans for a caucus as a possible alternative.
Michigan GOP Chairman Saul Anuzis told The Associated Press that Republicans said the date was not his first choice he would back it if Republican Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, and Democratic House Speaker Andy Dillon propose legislation.
John Boyanoski can be reached at jboyanoski@scpols.com.
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