The State - News from Aug. 31, 1989

The state Senate Appropriations Committee sent to the Senate floor legislation to advance the statewide primary in presidential election years from June to the last Tuesday in March. This would give California, the most populous state, greater political clout in selecting party nominees for the White House. During the last few presidential elections, candidates already had, in effect, wrapped up the nominations by the time Californians went to the polls. A spokesman for Assemblyman Jim Costa (D-Fresno), the author, said a Senate vote will be delayed until legislative leaders decide how legislators can overcome their own fund-raising problems caused by an earlier primary.