California Democrats have decided to move up their 2020 presidential primary to March 3rd, Super Tuesday. This is the earliest date the Democrat National Committee will allow and it could have a significant impact on who wins the Democrat nomination to challenge President Donald Trump.
The first two contests will be the same as always; Iowa caucuses on February 3, then New Hampshire primary February 11. Then comes Nevada caucus on Saturday February 22 followed by South Carolina primary the next Saturday, February 29. And then just four days later the stage will be set for the first Super Tuesday of 2020 where 9 states, including Virginia, will hold their primary. That day now includes California.
Moving California into the very first part of the calendar means that Democrats will have about a third of their committed delegates up for grabs in the by the night of March 3rd. That is a front loaded process that will reward candidates who start hot and fast. Lagging behind and then catching up later will be difficult for any Democrat, so keep an eye on who has the momentum early.
Specifically for the candidates, California moving up especially helps potential candidate Senator Kamala Harris. As a senator from California Harris could be a favorite son (daughter, but the expression is favorite son and I’m sure that enrages the feminists). As a hometown favorite (that ought to do) Harris should be able to benefit from high familiarity with California Democrats. The Wall Street Journal quotes former Obama aid Dan Pfeiffer in today’s edition-
“[California] is so big that it makes the value of a super-engaged grass roots network diminished. It takes years to build something that could deliver a decisive vote here, and it’s too expensive to advertise unless you’re a (wealthy) self-funder.”
That means that Harris has a significant advantage over the likes of potential candidates Senators Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker and former Representative James Francis O’Rourke. Former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders, also potential contenders, both have high name recognition throughout the country, so don’t count them out in California.
If Harris wins the Democrat primary in California on March 3rd, then she will be rocketed to the top tier, a spot she is not in on early polling numbers. Once in the top tier candidates get more earned media, more attention, more money, and more of a chance to stay in the top tier. If California had chosen to hold their primary in June, like it was in 2016, then Harris would likely not receive the early bump from her home state that she may need to contend for the nomination.
Senator Kamala Harris has not officially announced her candidacy for president. With California as a March 3rd Super Tuesday state she may like her chances now more than she did a few months ago. Democrats will race to the left of each other for their party’s nomination. Already starting out as a far-left almost communist with the largest delegation as her home state in a very early primary is a recipe for a successful run at the Democrat nomination. Watch out for Harris, who has said she will make an announcement on her 2020 plans shortly after the Christmas break.
Update- Senator Harris announced her run for president on January 21. Her sprint to the farthest part of the radical left has started.
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