Republican Party officials from the traditional primary states decry Florida’s expected move of their primary from early March to late January, but significant money may be at stake for the state that secures the earlier primary date.
How much money does an early presidential primary generate? “I’ve heard anything from $20 to $80 million [each election year],” said a GOP strategist from South Carolina. “I think the $80 million figure came from 2008 when we had both a Democrat and Republican convention, Democratic and Republican primary in South Carolina and significant amounts of money . . . spent by the campaigns, money spent by the media, money spent by the media throwing debates, money being spent by outside interest groups.”
This strategist indicated that revenue is also a significant motivation behind the determination of states such as Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina to retain their traditional place at the front of the primary schedule. Still, he also added: “It’s tradition; it’s prestige.”
South Carolina GOP chairman Chad Connelly characterized Florida as a “rogue state,” but this consultant used even sharper language.
“It’s just pure greed,” he said. “It’s not like Florida doesn’t have a ridiculous amount of money spent in it every fall because they become swing state, too. And they have a presidential convention.”
Iowa GOP Chair and political strategist Steve Grubbs took a more charitable view of Florida. “I wouldn’t call it [greed],” he said, although he did acknowledge that “Florida represents their interests and Iowa represents it’s interests.” As for the money motivation, Grubbs said that wasn’t an issue for Iowa. “Change in the price of corn affects Iowa’s economy a lot more than political tourism.”
Grubbs believes that Iowa should retain its place as the first caucus in the country – “Iowa should be first and will be first” – because it gives low-funded presidential candidates a chance to campaign on the national stage. Along the same lines, the South Carolina strategist indicated that the Florida move “might help select nominees that aren’t exactly talented at building grassroots organizations.”
“It’s good for the country to have candidates that understand small midwestern states,” he said. “It’s not good to have Florida too early,” Grubbs said.
