Caucus Date: SC Dems Seek Jan. 19

Caucus Date: SC Dems Seek Jan. 19

The South Carolina Democrats are asking the DNC for official permission to move their primary up from Jan. 29 to Jan. 19, the New York Times reports. Nevada is currently scheduled for the 19th, but reports last week indicated they would likely move to Jan. 12 to keep their place in line.

The request makes official the assumptions most observers had already made. Jan. 19 would put the Democrats back on the same date as the South Carolina GOP, who announced that move a few weeks ago at a press conference in, of all places, New Hampshire.

Last summer, South Carolina Democrats were awarded the number four slot on the Democrat's calendar, behind Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada. The move to the 19th would likely leave South Carolina in fifth place, behind those states and unauthorized leapfrogger Michigan. The New York Times article predicts this calendar:

Jan. 5, Iowa (moved from Jan. 14)

Jan. 8, New Hampshire (from Jan. 22)

Jan. 12, Nevada (from Jan. 19)

Jan. 15, Michigan (unauthorized. from Feb. 5)

Jan. 19, South Carolina (from Jan. 29)

Jan. 29, Florida (unauthorized. from Feb. 5)

Feb. 5, everybody
That leaves an odd, ten day gap the week of Jan. 22 -- which was originally supposed to be New Hampshire's date. Looks like Florida will own that ten day gap.

A Jan. 3 date is still in the mix for Iowa. The Des Moines Register reports that the state Republican central committee is holding a 6 p.m. conference call tonight to discuss dates.