The insanely accelerated primary calendar got a jolt today when Iowa Republicans announced that they would hold their Presidential caucus on January 3rd:
The state’s Republicans tonight set Thursday, Jan. 3, as the date for their caucus.
The Democrats have not yet set a date, but they are likely to join the Republicans on Jan. 3.
Still no word from Bill Gardner, the secretary of state in New Hampshire, on when he plans to set that state’s primary, but there’s talk of December.
The Iowa Republicans moved their caucus in order to maintain their status as the first-in-the-nation caucus state. State law requires that the caucuses be held at least a week before anyone else’s. Iowa was set for Jan. 14.
But then Michigan muscled its way to the front of the line to Jan. 15. That forced Iowa Republicans to move ahead; they have been debating between Jan. 3 and Jan. 5. The party’s central committee members held a conference call tonight and chose Jan. 3.
“With under 80 days to go, this is a huge help to our counties and county chairs to get the ball rolling and start organizing,” Chuck Laudner, executive director of the Republican party, said in a statement. “They have 1,784 precinct caucus meetings to run, thousands of volunteers to recruit and our presidential candidates deserve a set date.”
Look for the tit-for-tat to continue until eventually we find out that New Hampshire’s 2008 primary was actually held in August 2004.
