Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008
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The 2008 Republican primaries will be the selection process by which the Republicans choose their candidates in the 2008 election for President and Vice President of the United States through a series of primaries and caucuses culminating in the 2008 Republican National Convention, to be held in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, from September 1 until September 4.
[edit] Dates
Republican candidates in the 2008 U.S. presidential election will campaign for the nomination from their party. The early timeline is:
- January 14, 2008 - Iowa
- January 22, 2008 - New Hampshire[1]
- January 29, 2008 - Florida[2]
- February 2, 2008 - Alabama, South Carolina
- February 5, 2008 - (known as "Giga-Tuesday," "Mega Tuesday," or "National Primary Day") - Arizona, Arkansas, California[3], Delaware, New York, Missouri, New Mexico, New Jersey[4], North Dakota, Oklahoma, Utah, West Virginia[5]
- February 7, 2008 - Nevada^
- February 9, 2008 - Louisiana
- February 10, 2008 - Maine
- February 12, 2008 - Maryland, Tennessee, Virginia
- February 19, 2008 - Minnesota, Wisconsin
- February 26, 2008 - Michigan^
- March 4, 2008 - Connecticut^, Georgia^, Massachusetts^, Ohio, Texas^, Vermont
- March 11, 2008 - Mississippi, Washington
- March 18, 2008 - Illinois^, Rhode Island^
- April 1, 2008 - Kansas^
- April 15, 2008 - Colorado
- April 22, 2008 - Pennsylvania^
- May 6, 2008 - Indiana, North Carolina^
- May 10, 2008 - Wyoming
- May 13, 2008 - Nebraska^
- May 17, 2008 - Alaska
- May 20, 2008 - Kentucky, Oregon^
- May 27, 2008 - Idaho
- June 3, 2008 - South Dakota
- June 6, 2008 - Hawaii
- June 9, 2008 - Montana
^States that are thinking about moving their primary or caucus (see next section for details).
[edit] States in the Process of Moving Their Primary/Caucus
- Connecticut--- On March 27, Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz joined bipartisan legislative leaders in proposing Connecticut move its 2008 presidential primary from March 4 to the Giga Tuesday date of February 5. [6][7] Bysieiwicz said she had been advised by Massachusetts and Rhode Island officials those states might also move their primaries to February 5.
- Georgia - Current law places their primary on March 4. House Bill 487 would move their primary to February 5, 2008, and was passed 154-11. It now goes to the Senate for consideration.[8]
- Illinois - Current law places their primary on March 18, 2008. House Bill 426 would move it to February 5th, 2008. The bill was approved in the House by a 110-4 vote and was referred to the Senate on 3/28/07.[9]
- Kansas - Current law places their primary on the first Tuesday of April (4/1 in 2008). Senate bill 320 would give the Secretary of State the authority to move their primary to any date on or earlier than 4/1 on which at least three other states are also holding primaries. The bill passed the Senate 40-0 and is now in committee in the state House.[10]
- Michigan - Current law allows for a February 26 primary; however, the state Republican Party has said they would like to move that to either February 5, or February 2 (on the same day as South Carolina). No bills have been introduced in either chamber of state Congress to do so, however.
- Nebraska - Current law places their primary on May 13. Legislative Bill 460 would replace that with a caucus to be held on the second Saturday in February (2/9 in 2008). The bill is currently in committee.[11]
- Nevada - The state GOP already moved their caucus up 6 weeks to February 7, but now party leaders are trying to move it up once again to January 19, the same date as the Democrat Nevada caucus. The idea will be voted on in the April 21 meeting of Nevada GOP leaders, but they publicly say they have more than enough votes for the plan to go through.[12]
- Oregon - Current law places the primary on May 20. House Bill 2084 would give the Secretary of State the authority to move the primary to any date he or she sees fit, and is currently in committee.[13]
- Pennsylvania - Current law places their primary on April 22, 2008. House Bill 63 would move it to March 4, 2008; Governor Rendell is pressuring lawmakers to move it instead to February 5, 2008. HB 63 has not made it past the first steps of the legislative process as of yet. [14][15]
- Rhode Island - Current Rhode Island law places their primary on March 18, 2008. State Senate Bill 720 would move it to February 5, 2008, and has currently been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.[16]
- Texas - Current Texas law places their primary on the first Tuesday in March (3/4 in 2008). Two bills introduced into the state legislature would change it to the first Tuesday in February (2/5 in 2008): House Bills 993 and 996. Both bills are currently pending in committee.[17][18]
[edit] Opinion Polling
[edit] Candidates
[edit] Notes and References
- ^ By New Hampshire state law, the New Hampshire primary must precede any other "similar contest" by at least seven days - except for the Iowa caucus, which is grandfathered in because of Iowa law setting them as the first caucus in the country. The NH Secretary of State has the authority to move the primary to whatever date he or she determines.
- ^ The law passed in Florida requires their primary to be held on the first Tuesday in February (2/5 in 2008) OR seven days after the NH primary, whichever comes earlier. The law also provides that the primary cannot be held any earlier than January 8, 2008 should New Hampshire move their primary into 2007. Currently, the Democratic NH primary is set for January 22, meaning the Florida primary is currently set for seven days later on 1/29.
- ^ Schwarzenegger signs law to move up primary. Reuters. Retrieved on March 17, 2007.
- ^ Hester, Tom Jr.. "Senate moves toward giving NJ early 2008 presidential primary", AM New York, 2007-02-11. Retrieved on February 19, 2007.
- ^ West Virginia will select its 18 At-Large Delegates on 2/5 at a State Party Convention, but then select its 9 District Delegates during the party primary on Tuesday, May 13.
- ^ Pazniokas, Mark. "State May Hold Early 2008 Presidential Primary", The Hartford Courant, 2007-03-27. Retrieved on April 2, 2007.
- ^ Bysiewicz Stands Up For Connecticut Voters- Proposes February 5th Presidential Primary Day (PDF). Office of Connecticut Secretary of State (2007-03-27). Retrieved on April 2, 2008.
- ^ "Georgia House Bill 487 History", Georgia General Assembly Online. Retrieved on March 27, 2007.
- ^ "Illinois HB 426 History", Illinois House of Representatives Online. Retrieved on March 27, 2007.
- ^ "Kansas SB 320 History", Kansas Senate Online. Retrieved on March 27, 2007.
- ^ "Nebraska LB 460 History", Nebraska Legislature.gov. Retrieved on March 27, 2007.
- ^ "State Republican officials say January caucus probably will occur", Las Vegas Review Journal. Retrieved on April 9, 2007.
- ^ "Oregon HB 2084 History", Oregon House of Representatives Online. Retrieved on March 27, 2007.
- ^ "Pennsylvania HB 63 History", Pennsylvania Bill Information. Retrieved on March 27, 2007.
- ^ Jackson, Peter. "Rendell urges moving 2008 primary election to Feb. 5", McCall.com, 2007-03-14. Retrieved on March 27, 2007.
- ^ "Rhode Island SB 740 History", Rhode Island Legislative Status Report. Retrieved on March 27, 2007.
- ^ "Texas HB 993 History", Texas Legislature Online. Retrieved on March 27, 2007.
- ^ "Texas HB 996 History", Texas Legislature Online. Retrieved on March 27, 2007.
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