And Now On to ... Wyoming? For the Pukes.

[tekisui]

Now that Iowa is done with its caucuses, get ready for the first primary of the season. No, not New Hampshire. Wyoming.
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On Saturday, Jan. 5, Republicans in Dick Cheney's home state will hold their own renegade primary. It is a huge risk for the state G.O.P. They moved up the primary date without the blessing of Republican National Committee and will lose half their convention delegates for violating the rules. But there may be a big payoff: Wyoming could further confirm front-runner status for Mike Huckabee and give him momentum into the Jan. 8 primary in New Hampshire - or provide Mitt Romney with his first, if minor, stop of what might be a Huckabee steamroller.

Wyoming's Republican leaders, emboldened by a tradition of stubborn independence and weary of obscurity, are pressing ahead in spite of the national party's objections. After the state central committee voted in August to go early, Tom Sansonetti, organizer of the county-level conventions, said it was worth it: "There was a solid consensus by everybody that the price of playing in the nomination process was worth the loss of the delegates." Abiding by Republican National Committee rules and holding the county conventions later, Sansonetti said, would "doom the Wyoming Republican Party to being a non-player, with no visits, no phone calls, no direct mail, by the national candidates."

So far, however, the move has had rather tepid results. Just three candidates showed up for Wyoming's G.O.P. presidential forums in September: Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback (who has since dropped out), California Rep. Duncan Hunter and Fred Thompson. Later visits to the state have been made by Mitt Romney, Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee. Rudy Giuliani and John McCain have been no-shows.

Romney's organization has been the most visible, busily mobilizing campaign supporters among Wyoming's Mormons, who make up about 10% of the state's population. Precinct delegates headed for the Jan. 5 nominating conventions have also received mailings from Paul and Thompson.

more at link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20080104/us_time/andnowontowyoming;_ylt=AtbmZeCYatdGy70Av9CFDPqs0NUE

[donheld]

1. Any idea why the Democrats don't play?

[RL3AO]

2. Because Wyoming didn't want to lose all their delagates?