# WTF? Democratic National Committee says it can overturn presidential primary results
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-democratic-national-committee-says-it-can-overturn-presidential-primary-results/369439
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [August 20, 2006, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-democratic-national-committee-says-it-can-overturn-presidential-primary-results/369439 "2006-08-20T12:20:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2006, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-democratic-national-committee-says-it-can-overturn-presidential-primary-results/369439/41 "2006-08-28T17:01:49Z")
Well again, that sounds more like New Hampshire arrogance than the DNC’s.
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### Author:  [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2006, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-democratic-national-committee-says-it-can-overturn-presidential-primary-results/369439/42 "2006-08-28T17:03:25Z")
Oh, and Iowa’s caucus has been held before the New Hampshire primary for some time now.
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### Author:  [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2006, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-democratic-national-committee-says-it-can-overturn-presidential-primary-results/369439/43 "2006-08-28T17:03:50Z")
> [@spoke-](#):
>
> I sorta like the idea of starting with the small states, which gives underfunded but charismatic candidates a chance to make a name for themselves.
>
> And that’s more or less what the DNC is doing – starting with smallish states (population-wise) from four different regions.
That might backfire, though, if that’s really the goal, because by frontloading like that, with four races at the beginning, you’re asking for a major upfront commitment by the candidate.
So, now, under this new system, Candidate John Smith is going to have to have to set up a fully funded campaign organization in four states at once, early on. He can’t just hope to do well in New Hampshire and Iowa anymore and, based on that success, attract national attention and national funds. So this could actually hurt underfunded candidates.
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### Author:  [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2006, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-democratic-national-committee-says-it-can-overturn-presidential-primary-results/369439/44 "2006-08-28T17:07:31Z")
Let’s see how it works out. I would imagine a candidate could garner attention and donations by winning any one of the four states. Hell, we might get four different winners, which would keep the race interesting deeper into the primary season than is usually the case.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2006, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-democratic-national-committee-says-it-can-overturn-presidential-primary-results/369439/45 "2006-08-28T17:09:19Z")
> [@spoke-](#):
>
> That is the worst idea imaginable. How many potential candidates can fund a nation-wide campaign right out of the gate? Clinton couldn’t have done it. We would have never heard of him under that system.
Well, I said “ideally”. Part of the “ideal” would be that the early funding wasn’t a problem. 🙂 Of course there has to be a compromise, and it would be better to have a smattering of different states going first-- states that represent a good mix of urban/rural, north/south, etc. NH makes a poor proxy for the country as a whole.
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### Author:  [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2006, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-democratic-national-committee-says-it-can-overturn-presidential-primary-results/369439/46 "2006-08-28T17:14:26Z")
> [@spoke-](#):
>
> Oh, and Iowa’s caucus has been held before the New Hampshire primary for some time now.
I know, but the New Hampshirites (New Hampshirians?) have come to accept that. It’s a matter of state pride for them, and they’re New Englanders, which means they get ornery. 🙂
It’s going to be interesting to see what happens if this does come to a head…if New Hampshire has their primary earlier, and the DNC announces they won’t seat the delegates. My guess is that a lot of the candidates will campaign in New Hampshire anyway. New Hampshire has always been more valuable for the publicity you get for winning than the delegates, anyway.
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### Author:  [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2006, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-democratic-national-committee-says-it-can-overturn-presidential-primary-results/369439/47 "2006-08-28T17:32:40Z")
> [@Captain Amazing](#):
>
> It’s a matter of state pride for them, and they’re New Englanders, which means they get ornery. 🙂
And here I thought my _own_ region was the most willful. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2006, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-democratic-national-committee-says-it-can-overturn-presidential-primary-results/369439/48 "2006-08-28T17:59:13Z")
Wonderful people, New Englanders, but never get on their way when it comes to a matter of principle. And people from New Hampshire can be the most New England of all…🙂 I think New Hampshire might be the only state to celebrate Memorial Day on May 30th, instead of the nearest Monday.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2006, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-democratic-national-committee-says-it-can-overturn-presidential-primary-results/369439/49 "2006-08-28T18:51:04Z")
> [@Captain Amazing](#):
>
> Wonderful people, New Englanders, but never get on their way when it comes to a matter of principle. And people from New Hampshire can be the most New England of all…🙂 I think New Hampshire might be the only state to celebrate Memorial Day on May 30th, instead of the nearest Monday.
I lived in New England for many years, and spent plenty of time in NH. Hence my note that NH is not a good proxy for the country as a whole. Don’t get me wrong-- I love the folks up there. But they are a breed apart. There’s a reason we have the saying: _But will it play in Peoria_; not: _But wil in play in Concord_?
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