• Home
  • News
    • Politics / Govt
    • Legislature
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
    • Archives
  • Sports
    • Badgers
    • Packers
      • Titletown Report
    • Brewers
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support

Wisconsin Radio Network

Wisconsin News and Sports

You are here: Home / Politics / Govt / Wisconsin's significance in the presidential race

Wisconsin's significance in the presidential race

January 2, 2008 By WRN Contributor

The Iowa caucuses get under way Thursday, and then the spotlight will be on New Hampshire and shortly thereafter it’s Super Tuesday, so will Wisconsin even have a role in the primaries?

In 2004 Wisconsin moved its primary up from April to the middle of February, which UW political scientist Charles Franklin says put us in a very important position for the primary election . But, since then, many other states jumped ahead of us and scheduled their primaries on the 5th — Super Tuesday.

“There’s a good reason to believe that by February 5th — or right after it — the nominees in both parties will effectively be settled and that’ll be it; our primary won’t be that interesting.”

However, Franklin says if neither the Democrats nor the Republicans select their nominee after Super Tuesday, Wisconsin will actually matter … a lot.

“There’s at least a little chance that one or both will still not be settled by those 26 states. In which case, Wisconsin coming two weeks after Super Tuesday could be in a spotlight position.”

Since so many states wanted to be among the first to hold their primaries, Franklin says the smaller states run the risk of being completely ignored while candidates campaign in the bigger states. So, he says, maybe Wisconsin will get attention on the 19th.

“And so if you’re trying to place your bets maybe you’d rather place the bet on a long shot with a big role rather than moving the campaign up and running the risk of not being important in the midst of all 26 of those states.”

This presidential election is sort of a test year, Franklin says, because it’s the first year with so many primaries scheduled so early in the year.

AUDIO: Jackie Johnson report (1:41 MP3)

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Politics / Govt



Featured Stories

Evers delivers State of the State address

Abortion rights rally highlights Wisconsin Supreme Court race

Bail and benefits questions will be on Wisconsin’s April statewide ballot

Evers issues promised TikTok ban

Johnson, Baldwin both vote ‘yes’ to avert rail strike

TwitterFacebook

Sports Headlines

Giannis breaks franchise scoring record, Bucks beat Nets in OT

Wisconsin’s Davis declares for NBA Draft

Badgers to face Arizona State in Las Vegas Bowl

Williams likely out for the season with broken hand

Packers releasing TE Jace Sternberger

More Sports

Tweets by @WRN

Get our news delivered to your inbox:

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Copyright © 2023 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC