The Golden State's Bid For Electoral Primacy

By DAVID ELLIS

California politicians are planning to move up their state's primary date from June to March in an attempt to muscle in on the kingmaking power Iowa and New Hampshire enjoy during presidential-election years. An early-bird contest would be likely to force Democratic candidates to give short shrift to the two smaller states so contenders could focus on California's wide-ranging constituencies and demonstrate national appeal. Willie Brown, Democratic speaker of the California assembly, hopes to schedule the primary on the first Tuesday in March, which would position it just a week before the "Super Tuesday" group of Southern primaries.

Brown disputes the current notion that few Democrats are willing to run against George Bush next year. The local party says it has received feelers from Senators Bill Bradley of New Jersey, Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia and Tom Harkin of Iowa, as well as Virginia Governor Doug Wilder and Jesse Jackson.

With reporting by Sidney Urquhart