How About National Primary Month?

Florida move could affect date of Iowa caucuses

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- The Florida Legislature's decision on Thursday to move the state's presidential primary to Jan. 29 could have an effect on the date of Iowa's leadoff caucuses.

Party insiders say Florida's move - which is expected to be signed into law by Florida Gov. Charlie Crist - will make it more likely that Iowa will need to move its caucuses, possibly as soon as within a week of New Year's Day, 2008.

"I would not be surprised if we have to move ourselves to Jan. 7," said former Iowa Democratic Party chairman Rob Tully.

Here's a wacky notion: To make everybody happy and perhaps save gazillions of dollars, why not have a National Primary Month? Iowa can still be the first in the nation, but by the end of January of 2008, after every state has theirs, we would know who the presidential candidates would be and have plenty of time before the first Tuesday in November to learn all about their policies by having a debate each month on limited topics.