Typically, by the time California votes in the Presidential primaries, the majority of candidates have dropped out or the whole thing is settled because, for some dumb reason, the people of Iowa get to have the biggest say in who is each party’s nominee for President. Now, California has decided to shake things up a bit by moving its 2020 primary date from June to March.
Governor Jerry Brown approved a measure moving the state’s primary date to the beginning of March on Wednesday. The move is designed to give California more input on the election process. By the time the primary hit California in 2016, Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton had things pretty much wrapped up – though Bernie Sanders did make a speech in Cathedral City, relaxed in DHS, and hung out at the Street Fair.
“Candidates will not be able to ignore the largest, most diverse state in the nation as they seek our country’s highest office,” California Secretary of State Alex Padilla said in a statement about the bill called the Prime Time Primary Act. “California has been a leader time and time again on the most important issues facing our country—including immigration, education, and the environment. The Prime Time Primary Act will help ensure that issues important to Californians are prioritized by presidential candidates from all political parties.”
And while it’s assumed not much will matter in the Republican primary, unless someone like John Kasich decides to challenge Trump or he’s impeached or just quits to spend more time watching Fox & Friends, the move should have an impact on who the Democratic nominee is.
“With all due respect to our brothers and sisters in Iowa and New Hampshire, California is the beating heart of the national resistance to Trump,” Eric Bauman, chairman of the California Democratic Party, told AP. “When it comes to deciding the Democratic nominee, our voices need to be heard early in the process.”
