California Here It Comes! : Presidential primary date expected to be moved to March

The nation’s biggest state, with the largest blocs of delegates to the Democratic and Republican party nominating conventions, is also among the last to hold its presidential primary. As a result California’s influence is considerably less than it might otherwise be when presidential candidates are picked. For 14 years Assemblyman Jim Costa (D-Hanford) has labored to change this self-wounding situation by trying to get California’s presidential primary moved forward from June to March. That effort at long last seems close to success.

The Senate has now joined the Assembly in voting for an experimental measure to hold the 1996 primary in March. That could open the way for permanently moving the primary date forward. Up until now Californians haven’t voted until after more than 85% of convention delegates had already been chosen in other state primaries. In many cases that made this state’s voting anticlimactic. Not since 1972, when George McGovern defeated Hubert H. Humphrey in the June primary, has the California vote been instrumental in naming the Democratic presidential candidate. Not since 1964, when Barry Goldwater bested Nelson Rockefeller, has a similar role been played by California in GOP presidential politics.

The measure that is soon to go to Gov. Pete Wilson for expected signature would also move to March 26, 1996, the primary for all congressional and state legislative races, as well as some local ones. Runoffs would be decided in the November general election.

Drawing national attention to California months earlier in the presidential campaign means that attention will also be drawn to issues and problems that are much more reflective of the national norm that what is typically encountered in such early primary states as New Hampshire and Iowa. That will be good for California but even more important, it could help set the terms of the national presidential debate. Is there a downside to this change? Conceivably, if New Hampshire and Iowa, eager to retain the spotlight, move their own primaries forward. That would extend the length of the already interminably long primary season even more. The country surely can be spared that.