Self Interest Dooms Primary Change

It seems as if the Democrats desperate attempt to move the 2006 primary from September to June is DOA, thanks to their fellow Democrats.

But House Democrats say several factors are working against the plan - from the potential for bad publicity to self-interest about their own elections.

"Stick a fork in it," said House Majority Leader Kumar P. Barve, a Montgomery County Democrat, speaking of the date-change proposal.

Many Democrats are worried about contested primaries in high-profile races for governor and U.S. Senate that will likely sap cash and inflict wounds on the eventual winners. Meanwhile, well-financed Republican candidates will face little opposition before next year's November general election.

This is a rare case of the self-interest of our elected officials meshes well with the best interests of the voters. There is no way that Maryland voters would have been adequately prepared to make an educated decision regarding their choice in the primaries by June, if only because candidates and campaigns are not adequately geared up and ready to run by such a short time frame. And it does not help the voter that Democratic leadership was only interested in moving the primary for selfishly partisan reasons.

As I said in April, the legislature should discuss the real merits of the issue during the 2007 legislative session.