Some Republicans are calling on leaders at the General Assembly to again change when the state will hold its presidential primary. Two years ago lawmakers decided to make the primary earlier - on the first Tuesday after South Carolina's, next February. State GOP Chairman Claude Pope now wants the primary moved to March 1st. He says the national Republican Party is threatening to take away delegates from North Carolina for the earlier primary. Republican state Senator Andrew Brock disagrees.
"The nominee is already selected. You don't have a convention process where you pick the nominee. So when you look at who's going to be the nominee - I think North Carolina Citizens should have a say in the future of our country by being one of the first state's to have a presidential primary," said Brock, who contends those delegates are mainly symbolic.
Republicans are divided about whether to keep an earlier primary or adjust to March 1st. Brock said the primary system is dated and that states like Iowa and New Hampshire have too much influence. He expects that one day there will be a regional system of primaries that rotate, geographically, every four years.
