(Host) There’s a small chance that Vermont’s presidential primary could play an important role in the 2008 campaign.
That’s the opinion of Dartmouth College Government professor Linda Fowler.
At least 30 states will hold primaries or caucuses before the March 4 primary in Vermont in 2008.
Speaking last night on VPR’s Switchboard program, Fowler said the Vermont primary could take on some significance if either the Republican or Democratic races are deadlocked in the middle of February.
(Fowler) “There is a possibility that with so many large states having their primaries on the same day that the candidates would be fairly evenly divided. That’s a low probability event. But if that were the case then tiny Vermont could end up being a boost for somebody.”
(Host) Middlebury College political science professor Eric Davis thinks it’s likely that both the Republican and Democratic races will be decided well before the Vermont primary.
(Davis) “The Vermont primary runs the risk of being an irrelevant event. It’s scheduled on Town Meeting Day which in 2008 is Tuesday March 4th. It is quite possible that one candidate in the Democratic Party and one candidate in the Republican Party will have mathematically wrapped up the nomination before March 4th.”
(Host) Some presidential candidates are beginning to come to Vermont. Former New York City mayor Rudy Guiliani, who’s seeking the Republican nomination, is in White River Junction this morning for a local fundraiser.