Super Tuesday expected to set tone of presidential election
by JESSICA L. FINCH Associate Editor

Voters will likely experience a colder trip to the polls this year now that New York State has moved its primary election to February.

In April 2007, Gov. Eliot Spitzer signed a bill moving the primary from March 4 to Feb. 5.

At the time of the signing he reportedly said the move would help ensure that New York's "large and diverse population" will be influential in choosing presidential candidates for the 2008 election.

About a dozen other states, including California and New Jersey, have moved either their primaries or caucuses to Feb. 5, which is known as Super Tuesday. A total of 24 states will vote on that day.

Candidates in the New York State primary election are Democrats Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Dennis Kucinich, Barack Obama and Bill Richardson, and Republicans Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Ron Paul and Mitt Romney.

Biden, Kucinich and Richardson have announced that they are withdrawing from the race, but their names remain on the ballot.

Amherst Republican Committee Chairman Marshall Wood said with the primary one month earlier he is going to watch the weather.

"It raised some eyebrows. Some asked why in the world it would be moved up with the winters that Upstate New York have," he said. "All it takes is a nor'easter through New York City, and it puts a dent in the primary election."

Weather concerns aside, Wood expects the election to be wide open for Republicans. While there has been some conversation among the Republicans in Amherst, it has been relatively quiet.

"Some are thinking Rudy Giuliani, as a 'favorite son,' and others who think he is the best candidate. And there is a group of veterans supporting John McCain," he said. "Those are the only two I have heard about."

He acknowledged the strong Democratic voice in New York and said the Republicans have to consider the best candidate to face off against the Democrat's choice.

"Right now it is pretty much a situation where everyone is free to support who they wish," he said.

Wood said there has been some feeling around the state that Giuliani has ignored New York, thinking it would be an easy victory. His decision to do so, Wood said, could cost him the primary by upsetting voters.

Amherst Democratic Committee Chairman Dennis Ward also sees the race as being wide open.

"As far as the Democrats go, this is the first time I can remember that New York really, really mattered in the primary. It's still a competitive race," he said, adding that he expects a large turnout of voters in Amherst.

New York is in position to be a competitive and important state, but Ward said he has heard local voters are as split as the rest of the nation.

"There are people of all ages and from different backgrounds on both sides," he said.

Although Clinton is a New York State senator and has name recognition, Ward says there is a mix of those who like her and those who don't. He added he feels that some may like her as a senator but won't vote for her as president.

He thinks that Edwards still has a lot of supporters but that some people question if they are "wasting" their vote on him. The two leaders, Clinton and Obama could go either way in the state, Ward said.

"There is a high level of interest; this race is significant, more than any presidential primary in recent memory," Ward said.

Voting is from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5. Visit www.erieboe.com for information.