Nearly a dozen other states, including California and New Jersey, have already moved their primaries or caucuses to Feb. 5. A dozen more are considering such moves, setting the stage for what is quickly becoming known as "Super-Duper Tuesday" just 22 days after the leadoff Iowa caucuses.
"Moving the primary date to February, we will help secure New York's large and diverse population an influential voice in selecting the 2008 presidential nominees," said Spitzer.
In New York, the shift could mean a big early haul of national convention delegates for Clinton, a New York senator, and for Giuliani, a former New York City mayor. The state had been scheduled to hold its primary on March 4 until Giuliani allies began pressing for the earlier date. The Clinton camp quickly gave its blessing and the measure won overwhelming approval from New York's Republican-led state Senate and Democratic-controlled Assembly last month.
"It's certainly good for both candidates from New York," said former state GOP Chairman William Powers, a co-chairman of Giuliani's New York campaign.
Bill Gardner, the New Hampshire secretary of state who sets the date for the traditional first-in-the-nation primary, said the move by New York and the other states likely means the entire nominating process will be over on Feb. 5. He called that "a rush to judgment" that might not be good for politics.
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