Last weekend the DFL Executive Committee passed a resolution calling for the DFL to move it’s caucuses to Super Duper Tuesday, February 5th.
“…. Whereas, all political observers nationally agree that both major
political parties’ presidential nominee will be evident after the
February 5th and 12th primary and caucus contests; and,
Whereas, Minnesota Democrats will have no true impact in selecting our
national party’s presidential nominee if we meet on the March caucus
date; and….
Whereas, March 4th, 2008 will see most major Minnesota media paying no
significant attention, if any, to the precinct caucuses if held on that
date; and,
Whereas, in 2000 the Minnesota DFL Party held their precinct caucuses
on a date other than the statutory date with no negative statutory
consequences; therefore,
Be It Resolved, it is the intent of the Minnesota DFL Party’s State
Executive Committee to present a resolution for consideration at the
next State Central Committee meeting that would move the date of the
DFL Precinct Caucuses in 2008 to the first Tuesday in February; and,
Be It Further Resolved, that the Minnesota DFL Party invites the
Republican, Independence, and Green Parties of Minnesota to join with
it in making February 5th a day that all Minnesotans can impact who
will be our country’s political parties’ respective presidential
nominees.”
As the resolution establishes there will be one more step before the DFL moves its caucuses to Feb. 5th, the endorsement of the DFL State Central Committee. With DFL’ers it’s never a done deal, but I doubt that this resolution would receive anything other than the Central Committee’s support.
So, I guess that this means special session or not, the DFL at least, is going to have it’s caucuses on February 5th.
There are a lot of arguments swirling around the front loading of primaries and caucuses, and I personally feel that it’s bad to have all of these caucuses so early in the season. But I also understand and appreciate why Minnesota’s political leaders would need to defend a place of importance in the Presidential race.
Note: I am a member of the DFL Executive Committee, I was not at the DFL Executive Committee Meeting this last weekend, where this resolution passed because of a personal conflict. I would have voted for this resolution had I been there.
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This is good news!
Sean,
For the first time, I actually agree with you. I hope the Republican party will follow suit and move our caucuses to February 5. I believe that a caucus system gives average people a lot of say in the political process and that system should be preserved. At the same time, our caucuses have been worthless with respect to Presidential elections because they have been too late in the process and because they have been typically poorly organized with respect to taking votes for candidates, etc. Moving them up and casting a ballot for Presidential candidates on both sides of the aisle will make caucuses actually matter!
Sean, I agree that it’s bad that the primaries are front-loading like this. And I’m not sure that MN leaving it’s caucus date would mean a damn thing, so they might as well move it up a bit, I suppose. Of course, this also means that the Senate race that has started far too early will be advanced along even further as well, and I’m not sure that’s particularly good either.
I expect the State Central Commitee will ratify it overwhelmingly.
(full disclosure: I’m a member of said state central commitee)
Minnesota needs to go to a primary system and ditch caucus’s. The current format gives too much power to the far right and far left activists in each party. A primary would get MUCH better involvement and get better candidates that more closely matched the positions of the citizenry.
I think this is a bad move on the Executive Committee’s part and is so short sited and is only being done to try and be a player in the Presidential race.. Minnesota will only play if we were to move our caucus to pre-Feb 5th.
Our delegate count is inconsequential compared to many of the other states.
This ultimately hurts the local races - the state house and senate race and the US Senate campaigns.
I also agree that we should move to solely a primary - instead of caucus and primary.