Florida, South Carolina, and Nevada’s primary incursion into January 2012 has raised the prospect that the GOP will be holding presidential nominating contests around Christmas. However, there are a number of reasons that won’t happen,
The Washington Post reported.
Florida has moved its primary to Jan. 31, South Carolina to Jan. 21 and Nevada to Jan. 14. Arcane state laws in New Hampshire and Iowa setting how much time must lapse between contests would seem to mean the Republican presidential nominating process would begin in December.
But the laws have been ignored in past, most recently in 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008, the Post noted. Iowa GOP Chairman Matt Strawn has said he might be willing to shave a day or so off the mandated time between contests.
“The Iowa (caucus) did not lack for attention in 2008,” Strawn said according to the Post. “It would serve the voters and candidates better if this is after the holidays. Voters don’t want knocks at their door during the Christmas and New Year’s season.”
Not only would the candidates be competing with the season for people’s attention, they would have to pay a premium for it. Television advertising rates spike after Thanksgiving, the Post reported.
“It’s a perfect storm from a rate perspective,” a GOP media buyer told the Post. “New Hampshire is already a difficult place to advertise, and it becomes even harder during the holidays.”
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