Shifting Presidential Primaries Helps Hillary

The Florida government is reported to be planning to vote soon to move their presidential primary to a week after New Hampshire's.

Florida’s primary is usually held in March of an election year, which means that it has not often played a critical role in creating momentum or helping select a nominee, even though it is considered an important “swing state” with 27 electoral votes. The state legislature will vote to move their presidential primary just seven days after the Granite State’s, which is in late January, so it would be in early February.

Some political pundits believe that Florida’s move will help Hillary quickly wrap up the Democratic nomination.

“Wow, that would change the whole dynamic of the primary,” said Baruch College political scientist Professor Doug Muzzio, because, “It becomes much more a money-oriented, top-down media primary, where you've got to have lots of money months before New Hampshire and Iowa, and you've got to have a strong national organization. … It would seem to advantage Hillary Clinton.”

The DNC already agreed a few weeks ago to move up to four state caucuses between the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary, which political experts also agree will help a potential run by Mrs. Clinton, because chances are that at least one the states allowed to participate in the expedited primary process will be a southern, more conservative state, which would in theory reduce the chances of an anti-war, leftist candidate seizing the early momentum away from Hillary.