Looks like Florida is joining New Jersey, Michigan, North Carolina, Missouri and California in considering moving their primaries to Feb. 5, 2008 just seven days after New Hampshire.

Wondering why? Here is a quick explanation. Several big states, New Hampshire, Ohio etc. have early primaries. Traditionally that meant candidates not only spent more of their time courting voters in the states that had early primaries but also that the decision on who would win was made long before many of the states voted. Once a candidate carried New York, Ohio etc. etc. states further down the list would vote but often it was largely symbolic as the majority of delegates were already grabbed by one candidate.

Because of this many states feel candidates simply use them, as the above linked article points out, like an ATM machine. They come in, raise money and then leave while spending months and sometimes years campaigning in Ohio, New Hampshire etc.

This year it seems like many states are looking to move those primaries up making the dynamics of 2008 much different then in previous elections AND also basically moving the entire decision making process to a much earlier timeframe. Which is partly why you see so many candidates announcing in January and February 2007 when the election is a year and nine months away.