The Bee's John Ellis reports that presidential candidates have rediscovered the San Joaquin Valley. It has helped that next year's California primary will be in February, but also that the Valley's growing population makes it key to carrying the state.
Ellis points out that Republicans Mitt Romney and John McCain and Democrat John Edwards have scheduled local visits in the next few weeks. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani just visited the Valley.
When I covered politics in the 1980s and early 90s, presidential candidates made regular visits to Fresno. Then in 1996, 2000 and 2004, that changed. Part of the reason was the nominees of both parties were decided well before the California primary rolled around. But if the state's primary is held Feb. 5 next year, the candidates likely will still be seeking the nominations of both parties. That means a lot of campaigning in California and the Valley.
does it not also mean, more big money, sooner?
That does sound like a good reason to jump up our primary. I worry that the tighter primaries will roll one into another, making it difficult to overcome whoever wins the first primaries.
maybe you've misunderstood me, scott, my feeling is that big money is the problem, an example might me the fact that most americans would prefer dennis kucinich, but the msm is foistering obama/clinton on us...at a town hall meeting, in say, Iowa, big money doesn't hold sway...ideas do.