In May of 2011, Washington State suspended its 2012 Presidential Primary Election. The state is now gearing up for an old fashioned precinct caucus and convention system to choose state delegates for the National Republican Convention. According to Secretary of State, Sam Reed, Washington State leadership much preferred the Primary Election process, but the $10 million dollar price tag coming out of a $5 billion dollar budget gap was out of the question. The legislature voted to suspend the presidential primary, and the governor signed the bill.
Ten times the amount of voters participated in the Presidential Primary Election as opposed to the 100,000 people who chose to attend the Washington State caucuses. Governor Chris Gregoire is advocating for a one time suspension of the Presidential Primary. In 1988 the validity of the opinion of the caucus vote was questioned when Republican Pat Roberson defeated George W. Bush.
The Washington State Primary was a non-binding primary for delegates in any case. The Washington State Caucus that is now scheduled for Saturday March 3rd, and the 43 delegates that won’t be selected until later look pretty enticing to Republicans seeking a nomination that might not really be decided until August. The March 3rd vote is being viewed as a jump start to Super Tuesday when 11 Republican Primaries and caucuses will take place.
Congressman Ron Paul who is not yet ready to accept second in Maine with only 84% of the votes counted, now has moved his campaign to Washington State where he plans to visit three cities this week.
Congressman Paul told “Face the Nation” viewers on Sunday that there really is no difference between his three rivals; he said that they all represent the status quo.
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