At its summer meeting in St. Louis, Democratic National Committee (DNC) members are expected to approve a new plan for the 2012 presidential primary season that moves back the start date and discourages other states from moving up their primaries.
The DNC plan would lock in the Iowa caucuses as the kick-off to the primary season, but they would take place on Feb. 6, 2012. In 2008, the caucuses were held on Jan. 3.
Earlier this month, the Republican National Committee (RNC) approved a new schedule that also locked in Iowa as the first contest in 2012. It barred states from holding primaries before Feb. 1.
The DNC and RNC plans aren't identical, but the two committees did coordinate on the schedule in an attempt to prevent states from front-loading the nominating calendar in 2012.
The 2008 cycle saw many states move up their primary dates in an attempt to wield more influence over the race.
In the short term, it's more of a concern for Republicans than Democrats as the GOP will have a crowded primary contest in 2012.
Along with locking in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina as the lead contests on the calendar in 2012, the RNC also approved new rules that would change the way some states award delegates.
States that hold their nominating contests during the month of March now must award delegates proportionally, similar to the way Democrats award convention delegates. If states want to wait until April, they are permitted to hold so-called winner-take-all contests, which award all of the state's convention delegates to the primary winner.
Democrats are also looking at ways to incentivize states to hold later contests, including the possibility of providing states additional delegates.
The DNC is expected to vote on the new plan by Friday.
The campaign of Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Fla.) certainly made the most of Wednesday's brief Florida visit from President Obama.
Even though the president still hasn't headlined a fundraiser or campaign event exclusively for Meek, the congressman's campaign used every chance it could Wednesday to get him close to the president.
Meek was on the airport tarmac to greet Obama when he arrived, and the two later made a stop at Jerry's Famous Deli in South Beach for corned beef sandwiches.
After purchasing Meek's sandwich, the president joked, "Don't say I never gave you anything."
The fundraiser Obama headlined raised some $700,000 for Florida's Democratic Party, and in his speech Obama bucked up Meek, who faces a primary against self-funded billionaire Jeff Greene next week.
"Kendrick has been a champion of middle-class families and somebody who has not been afraid to stand up to the status quo and special interests," Obama said Wednesday. "So we need that kind of fighter in the United States Senate. I need you to help him get there."
Obama's full embrace of Meek and his Senate campaign was long-awaited. While the president has offered campaign help to several Democratic Senate candidates so far this cycle, Meek received little help through most of the spring and summer, even as he struggled to hold off Greene in the Democratic primary.
It's something that rankled a few members of the Congressional Black Caucus, who suggested the White House hadn't done enough to prop up Meek. Earlier this month, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel did headline a fundraiser for Meek in Washington.
Former President Clinton has been Meek's biggest draw on the campaign trail. Clinton has held some five fundraisers for Meek and made three campaign stops with him earlier this week. Meek was a backer of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign in 2008.
After plenty of negative press for Greene over the past two weeks, Meek regained his footing in the primary, according to the latest polling. And given photo-ops with two presidents in the past week, Meek looks to be in a stronger position ahead of Tuesday's primary.
The latest Quinnipiac numbers from the state have Meek ahead of Greene 35 percent to 28 percent.
California Sen. Barbara Boxer (D) on Wednesday announced the formation of an informal Senate caucus that will work on issues facing military families.
"The Senate Military Family Caucus will put a spotlight on issues affecting our men and women in uniform and their spouses and children," Boxer said in a statement released by her office.
The formation of the bipartisan group could help Boxer deflect one of the main attacks that Republicans have directed toward her. During the Republican Senate primary, former Rep. Tom Campbell released a TV ad that used footage from a Senate hearing last summer wherein Boxer insisted Brig. Gen. Michael Walsh, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, call her "senator" and not "ma'am." Campbell called it a "sign of arrogance."
Senate nominee Carly Fiorina (R) has picked up where Campbell left off. In a recent release, her campaign cited Boxer's "disrespectful attitude toward our armed forces."
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) rolled out a new slate of endorsements of Republican women on her Facebook page Wednesday, including congressional candidate Renee Ellmers in North Carolina.
Ellmers gained some brief national attention earlier this summer after a video surfaced of her opponent, Rep. Bob Etheridge (D), in an altercation with a student on a street near the U.S. Capitol.
Palin references the incident in her endorsement of Ellmers, writing, "Renee has an uphill battle against a truly out of touch incumbent who made news not too long ago when he was caught on video assaulting a student who asked him if he supported the Obama agenda."
Palin continues: "Simple enough question, but this Democrat congressman who’s been in Washington for 14 years turned violent rather than answer it."
Despite the video incident, Ellmers is still considered a long-shot contender this fall.
Palin used the 90th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment as the occasion for endorsing "another group of strong American women who continue this tradition of service to our country."
Palin is also backing Martha Roby, who's considerably less of a long shot. She's running against Rep. Bobby Bright (D-Ala.), a Blue-dog Democrat who occupies one of the country's most conservative congressional districts.
Palin endorsed another two congressional candidates — Jackie Walorski, who's running against Rep. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) and Vicki Hartzler, who's taking on Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.).
Palin's also backing attorney general candidates Pam Bondi in Florida and Brenna Findley in Iowa. In Alabama, she endorsed Beth Chapman, who's running for secretary of state.
As the Ballot Box noted earlier, Palin is on a losing streak this month when it comes to her endorsements, which she alluded to Wednesday in her Facebook post.
"Regardless of whether the many candidates I’ve had the honor of endorsing win or lose this time around, I support them because they boldly shake things up in their primary races," Palin wrote.
It's also worth noting that just one of the candidates Palin endorsed Wednesday still faces a primary this cycle — Pam Bondi in Florida.
Given the losses of Clint Didier in Washington state and Rita Meyer in Wyoming on Tuesday, Palin is 0 for 5 so far this month when it comes to candidates she has backed.
Former Sen. Rick Santorum's (R-Pa.) visit to the Iowa state fair Wednesday caps a three-day swing through the state that was mostly spent aiding Republican candidates there.
Santorum looks increasingly like a presidential candidate in 2012, telling voters at a fundraiser Wednesday, "My message is resonating across the [country]" and touting his "strong conservative record," according to the Ames Tribune.
A favorite of social conservatives for his strong stances against abortion and gay marriage, Santorum has been flirting with a presidential run for months now and has made several visits to Iowa already this year.
While in the state, Santorum stumped for Dave Jamison (R), who's making a run for state treasurer and Brenna Findley (R), a candidate for attorney general.
While social conservatives tend to make up a significant portion of likely Republican caucus-goers, Santorum still has plenty of work to do among probable Republican voters there.
For what it's worth, an early poll of 2012 Republican hopefuls conducted on behalf of IowaRepublican.com pegged Santorum's support at less than 1 percent. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who won Iowa in 2008, led the way with 22 percent of the vote.
Former Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave (Colo.) warned her fellow Republicans not to get distracted by controversies like the planned Muslim center near New York's ground zero at the expense of abortion and other social issues.
"My party would be very foolish to ignore social issues, ignore the life issue," said Musgrave, who served three terms in the House before losing to Rep. Betsy Markey (D-Colo.) in 2008.
Musgrave has continued her anti-abortion advocacy with the advocacy group Susan B. Anthony List. This week she completed an SBA-sponsored bus trip through the districts of Democrats who oppose abortion rights who voted for the healthcare reform bill.
The tour was meant to provide a rallying point for anti-abortion advocates angry over provisions in the bill they say allows taxpayer money to subsidize insurance policies that cover elective abortions.
"I believe [Republicans] need to reach out to the social conservatives in this country," Musgrave said. "I believe there were many good people in Congress who will make that happen."
She cited Republican House leaders Mike Pence (Ind.) and John Boehner (Ohio) as two examples. "They're not going to let the social issues be neglected."
Grassroots activists are currently waiting on the GOP leadership to deliver a policy blueprint similar to the 1990s-era "Contract with America." It's expected out after Labor Day.
Voters concerned about abortion are highly motivated this cycle, but they're waiting to see leadership from the GOP, Musgrave said. "We are expecting them to address the social issues," she said. "We’re looking for pro-life leadership."
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