OF ALL the primaries and caucuses the Republican party will hold next year to choose its candidate for president, explains Rick Scott, the governor of Florida, "none will have a greater impact on the selection of the nominee than our own." That, at least, was the intention behind Florida's decision to hold its primary on January 31st, over a month before the earliest date allowed under party rules. It has triggered similar moves in other states, undermining efforts by both parties to get the primaries off to a later start than last time, when Iowa held its caucuses on January 3rd.
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