You may have noticed the GOP candidates at last night’s debate in California spent an inordinate amount of time sucking up to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Wait till they go to Florida. That state’s former Gov. Jeb Bush, who left office as popular as his presidential brother isn’t, was already in big demand for his endorsement in the GOP presidential contest. That nod just became an even more coveted prize now that Florida’s legislature has voted to move the state’s presidential primary up to January 29.
That makes Florida’s primary one of the earliest in the nation, creating outsized influence in the race for the White House. A January 29 primary would come shortly after early contests in Iowa, Nevada and New Hampshire, but a week before the mosh pit of 23 state primaries scheduled for Feb. 5. Given Florida’s size, the winner of its primary in either party could instantly lay far greater claim to frontrunner status than a candidate who has merely done well in Iowa or New Hampshire but loses the Sunshine State. Florida could indeed become the new kingmaker in presidential politics.