Hearing Scheduled On Regional Presidential Primary Bill

The Senate Rules and Administration Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday on a bill authored by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) to create a rotating regional presidential primary.

Under the “Regional Presidential Primary and Caucus Act of 2007,” beginning in 2012, a region-by-region primary would be initiated, taking place after the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary. The four national regions (West, Midwest, South and East) would rotate going first each cycle, with votes occurring on the first Tuesday of each month running from March to June.

Klobuchar and Alexander hope to end the current primary mess, as state legislatures approve plans to move their primary dates forward in order to retain their influence in the presidential nominating process. Rules and Administration Chairwoman (D-Calif.), and Sens. Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn.) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) also support the bill.

Klobuchar, Alexander, and Lieberman will all testify on the legislation on Wednesday, as will Gary Mauro, Iowa secretary of state, and Trey Grayson, Kentucky secretary of state. Mauro and Grayson are co-chairs of the Elections Subcommittee on the Presidential Primaries for the National Association of Secretaries of State.