Florida's January 31 Primary Date

The battle to host the first-in-the nation presidential primary in 2012 is heating up. Florida is currently scheduled to hold its primary on January 31, about two weeks before New Hampshire's February 14 primary date. If Republicans in the Sunshine State get their way, presidential candidates could spend the next year working on their tans and sipping fresh squeezed orange juice, far removed from the Granite State's snow covered hills.

Braving the New England cold has become a right of passage for presidential candidates, a tradition that NH Secretary of State William Gardner is not about to give up without a fight. If Florida commits to a January 31 primary date, look for Gardner to move New Hampshire's primary back to January as well. Granite State voters could be facing another year of non-stop campaigning, with no break for the winter holidays. Instead of baking cookies for Santa Claus, we'll be serving up hot cocoa to door-knockers hoping to win last minute votes for their candidates. Its a sacrifice the citizens of the Live Free or Die State are ready to make. 

Florida, you may succeed in stealing our seniors away every winter, but you will never take away our first-in-the nation presidential primary.