By AP/KWMU
Springfield, Ill. – The Illinois Senate on Tuesday approved an earlier presidential primary election for Illinois, a plan pushed by majority Democrats to help favorite son Barack Obama.
Legislation to move the primary to Feb. 5, instead of March 20, passed the Senate 48-10. Gov. Rod Blagojevich has promised to sign it.
Supporters said the goal was not simply to aid Obama. They argued Illinois should play a bigger role in determining the presidential nominees.
"Illinois is one of the largest states, it's the bellwether of the United States," said Sen. Terry Link (D-Vernon Hills). "We should decide who the candidates are going to be in November."
Obama, a U.S. senator and former member of the Illinois Senate, is a top contender for the Democratic nomination for president next year.
The state's Democratic Party chairman, House Speaker Michael Madigan, introduced the idea of moving the primary election to give Obama an early victory in a big state. Often, nominees have been decided by the time of Illinois' March primary.
Republicans complained that moving the date would increase the cost of campaigns and frustrate voters who already are tired of the long election process.
"They get tired of hearing the negative TV ads month after month after month after month. This will make those campaigns longer," said Sen. Dale Righter (R-Mattoon).
Righter questioned whether the move actually would have much impact on Obama's campaign or Illinois' role in choosing the nominees because so many other states also are switching to early primaries.
A dozen states, including California and New York, already have moved their primaries to Feb. 5, and more are considering such a move. Florida lawmakers have voted to hold that state's primary Jan. 29.
Missouri's primary was set for Feb. 5 before the recent flurry of states moving to do the same; it was moved in 2004 to help Democrat Dick Gephardt.
The move in Illinois is for the entire primary election to be held, which means local races will also be on the ballot. That's in contrast to Missouri's earlier primary, which is only for the presidential contest. Other primary elections will be held August 5.