Maryland Ponders Moving Up Primaries

Democratic leaders in Maryland are angling to move the state's presidential primaries up in the nominating calendar next year to give voters a greater voice in picking the next occupant of the White House.

Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) and leaders of both legislative chambers said yesterday that they support legislation to change Maryland's March 4 primary date for both political parties.

A plan being pushed by O'Malley and the state's Democratic Party chairman, Terry Lierman, would move the contest to Feb. 12, the same day Virginia is scheduled to hold its primaries and one that District leaders are considering at Maryland's request. The idea would be to create a "regional primary" that would attract candidates scrambling to wrap up the nomination in both parties.

"I'm for the proposal," said Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert). Referring to three Democratic presidential candidates, he said: "If we don't move it, we're not going to see John Edwards here. We're not going to see Hillary Clinton. We're not going to see Barack Obama."

The effort comes amid a nationwide scramble to reschedule primaries and caucuses before party nominees are crowned. But some analysts suggested yesterday that a move to Feb. 12 is not likely to make Maryland more relevant than four years ago, when candidate sightings were scant.

Iowa and New Hampshire traditionally hold contests early. And more than two dozen other states are considering holding primaries or caucuses before Feb. 12. A week before that, voting is planned on a single day in 19 states, including delegate-rich California, Florida and Illinois.

Lierman said that if multiple candidates are left standing afterward, the Washington region could play an important role.

"I think that the odds are good that for the first time in decades, the path to the presidency will go through Maryland, Virginia and D.C.," Lierman said.

O'Malley said in an interview that he is "hopeful and optimistic" that lawmakers will pass a bill changing the primary date before their 90-day session ends next month. Asked whether he thought the nominating contests would be over by Feb. 12, he said, "Who knows?" He added, "It's a rare year when there isn't a surprise."

House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel) was not as committed to a specific date, but said "if there's a way to give citizens of Maryland an opportunity to see a broad cross section of candidates, I think it's a good idea."

Republican leaders were cool to the idea yesterday, saying they had not been consulted about it.

"There may be merit, but it's very late in the session to be talking about this kind of change," said House Minority Leader Anthony J. O'Donnell (R-Calvert). "There isn't even a bill that's been introduced. The public debate on a change this large would be minimized. Any time you're talking about a change in election law in a rushed manner, you're making a mistake."