All this year, students on campus have been frantic, anticipating the big new role California was to play in the presidential primaries yesterday. After all, when was the last time California was at the starting gate, Super Tuesday, deciding who gets the nomination and who gets written off? This was a big deal for the state, and students on campus – who are allowed to vote in California, regardless of their state of residence – were strongly encouraged to vote here rather than their home state.
I didn’t vote yesterday. I received a few snickers from peers who found out I’m planning to vote in a month, in the Ohio primaries, because by then the nomination would’ve already been settled.
As it turns out, although California will award more of its delegates to Clinton, the “settled” race is far from over, so look to the Other Super Tuesday on March 4th, when Ohio, Texas, and a few other states actually decide who makes the cut. Wouldn’t be ironic if – in an election cycle where the states tripped over each other to be the first to hold primaries – the states that, undeterred, kept their late contests mattered more?
I predict Iowa will feel mighty irrelevant come the party conventions. As for California, enjoy the 15 minutes of fame.