Kamala Harris in 2020: CA on track to hold primary in March instead of June [View all]

[stopbush]

Both houses of CA legislature have passed bills allowing the governor to move the 2020 primary from June to March. Each bill specified a different day in March, so the bills need to be conferenced, a date agreed to and then that bill must pass both houses before heading to Gov Brown for signature.

CA would be the third primary held, right after Iowa and NH.

I have to think this would be extremely advantageous to Kamala Harris if she decides to run. CA is a huge prize in delegates for anyone who does well here.

If the legislature approves this and the governor signs it, it could well push Harris or any number of Californians into running to take advantage of the favorite son/daughter status that comes with the territory. It might also give a real shot to a more-moderate R candidate, who would benefit from taking positions that are more in line with CA's liberal identity than the conservative identity found in states like Iowa.

More important, CA is such a huge prize in delegates that anyone who wins here - D or R - would have a huge early lead that could dramatically change the entire primary dynamic, as donors and voters move to the winner. We could know both candidates very early on in the process.

And, no, tRump will not be the R candidate in 2020.

BTW - the CA D primary awards delegates proportionally to a great extent, while the Rs have a winner-take-all by district system. Both throw in super delegates and state delegates as well.