Let California Pick the Next President

4 minute read
Ideas

Zócalo Public Square is a magazine of ideas from Arizona State University Knowledge Enterprise.

Correction appended, Aug. 14, 2015.

At the risk of sounding like Donald Trump, let me say it’s just stupid that California won’t play a significant role in picking the next president. It’s even dumber that the small state of Iowa, with its first-in-the-nation caucuses and swing status in general elections, is a presidential kingmaker.

So why don’t we do something about it? Yes, California has previously moved its primaries up in the calendar to try to make itself important. But that won’t work because the small-fry states of Iowa and New Hampshire have hoodwinked the country into believing that small, rural places are better presidential proving grounds and give a chance to lesser-known candidates. No matter where California shows up on the calendar, we are easily dismissed for our size—too big to be more than a test of money and name recognition.

If we’re going to take our proper place in picking presidents, we’ll need an entirely new strategy. We have to out-Iowa Iowa. We must make ourselves smaller.

How? California is a collection of regions the size of normal states. Our new strategy: pick one region that offers all the things Iowa offers—small population, a rural character, no big cities, an engaged political culture—and hold an early presidential contest in just that region.

Which region? My fellow Californians, let me introduce you to the Central Coast Caucus.

Offered to the nation as a single political entity, the six Central Coast counties—Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz—could answer every argument that’s ever been made for Iowa’s primacy.

You want a small population? The Central Coast has just 2.3 million people—800,000 less than the 3.1 million who crowd Iowa. You hate big cities? The Central Coast’s most populous municipality, Oxnard, has fewer people than the metropolis of Des Moines. You want rural voters who know their agriculture? Iowa has the corn, sure, but the Central Coast has Ventura berries, Salinas lettuce, and all the wineries in between. (Heavy drinking may be necessary for today’s presidential politics to make any sense).

Iowa and the Central Coast are middling places, between larger, more important regions. Both have relatively competitive politics that incorporate extremes, but tend to the moderate. While Iowans boast that they pick winners, the Central Coast includes the state’s most reliable political bellwether, San Benito County.

But the Central Coast, offers much more than Iowa—more diversity, stronger universities (UC Santa Cruz, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo), better scenery (Big Sur), and more striking venues for campaign events (from Pebble Beach to the Neverland Ranch).

Instead of pursuing endorsements of obscure Iowa county party chairs, the Democrats would have an Oprah primary (she has a place in Montecito) and the Republicans would stage a Clint primary (Eastwood lives in Carmel). If you give the media and political professionals who dominate presidential politics a choice between the weather of Sioux City and Santa Maria, California would take Iowa’s crown.

The Central Coast Caucus would be good for California, too. The national attention would force our weak county parties to raise their games. With the new caucus’s central location, young people from all over the state would work on campaigns, and learn skills and make connections that can change their lives.

Overlooked issues would also get attention. Candidates would confront homelessness in Santa Barbara, the perils of offshore oil drilling, and drought. Public health might get a boost from candidates doing photo ops at hot yoga classes in Seaside instead of greasy spoons in Cedar Rapids. (I’d pay good money to see Ted Cruz try kite surfing). And who knows? Maybe the heavy reliance on migrant labor in Central Coast agriculture would force candidates to speak in more human ways about immigration.

The Central Coast Caucus would make sure that no one gets to be president without the sign-off of some Californians. And it would demonstrate California’s greatness; it only takes a small piece of this state to conquer the world.

Joe Mathews is California & innovation editor for Zócalo Public Square, for which he writes the Connecting California column.

Correction: The original version of this article incorrectly identified the Central Coast’s most populous municipality. It is Oxnard.

See the 2016 Candidates' Campaign Launches

Sen. Ted Cruz kicks off his campaign for 2016 Republican presidential nominee at Liberty University's Vines Center in Lynchburg, Va. on March 23, 2015. (
Sen. Ted Cruz kicked off his campaign for 2016 Republican presidential nomination at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. on March 23.Tom Williams—CQ-Roll Call/Getty Images
Presidential Campaign Launch Rand Paul
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul launched his bid for the Republican nomination at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville on April 7. Supporters held signs with the slogan "Defeat the Washington Machine / Unleash the American Dream."Amy Harris—Corbis
Presidential Campaign Launch Hillary Clinton
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced her campaign in a YouTube video posted April 12 that has been seen nearly 4.5 million times. One boy featured in the video boasted about playing a fish in a school play.Hillary For America
Presidential Campaign Launch Marco Rubio
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio announced his campaign for the Republican nomination during a rally at the Freedom Tower in Miami on April 13. He took a drink of water during the speech, a callback to his State of the Union response in 2013.Wilfredo Lee—AP
Presidential Campaign Launch Bernie Sanders
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders announced his bid for the Democratic nomination across the street from the U.S. Capitol on April 30, 2015. The backdrop was unusual, since most candidates rail against Washington.Jonathan Ernst—Reuters
Presidential Campaign Launch Ben Carson
Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson announced his bid for the Republican nomination at the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts May 4, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. The launch featured a gospel choir covering Eminem's "Lose Yourself."Bill Pugliano—Getty Images
Presidential Campaign Launch Carly Fiorina
Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina announced her campaign for the Republican nomination in a conference call on May 4, then went on "Good Morning America" to talk to George Stephanopoulos.Lou Rocco—Getty Images
Huckabee Presidential Campaign Launch
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee announced his campaign at a community college in his hometown of Hope, Ark., on May 5. Singer Tony Orlando (right) performed.Left: Danny Johnston; Right: Matt Sullivan—Getty Images
George Pataki Republican 2016
Republican presidential candidate and former New York Governor George Pataki (C) greets supporters after formally announcing his candidacy for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination in Exeter, N.H. on May 28, 2015. Dominick Reuter—Reuters
Lincoln Chafee Democrat 2016
Former Rhode Island Sen. Lincoln Chafee announces his candidacy for the democratic presidential nomination at George Mason University in Arlington, Va. on June 3, 2015.Win McNamee—Getty Images
Lindsey Graham Republican 2016
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham announces his 2016 presidential candidacy in Central, S.C. on June 1, 2015. Erik S. Lesser—EPA
Martin O'Malley Democrat 2016
Former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley is joined by his wife Katie O'Malley (R) as he announces his intention to seek the Democratic presidential nomination during a speech at Federal Hill Park in Baltimore on May 30, 2015. Jim Bourg—Reuters
Rick Perry Texas Republican 2016
Former Texas governor Rick Perry announces his candidacy for Republican presidential nominee at an event held at Addison Airport in Addison, Texas on Thursday, June 4, 2015.Louis DeLuca—Dallas Morning News/Corbis
Jeb Bush Campaign Launch
Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush waves on stage as he announces his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination during an event at Miami-Dade College - Kendall Campus in Miami on June 15 , 2015.Joe Raedle—Getty Images
U.S. Republican presidential candidate Trump holds up his financial statement as he formally announces his campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination at Trump Tower in New York
Donald Trump holds up his financial statement showing his net worth as he formally announces his campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination during an event at Trump Tower in New York City on June 16, 2015. Brendan McDermid—Reuters
Republican presidential candidate and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal formally announces his campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination in Kenner
Republican presidential candidate and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal formally announces his campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination in Kenner, La. on June 24, 2015. Jonathan Bachman—Reuters
Republican U.S. presidential candidate and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie formally announces his campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination in New Jersey
Republican presidential candidate and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie formally announces his campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination during a kickoff rally at Livingston High School in Livingston, N.J. on June 30, 2015. Brendan McDermid—Reuters
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Announces His Candidacy For President
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker greets supporters after announcing that he will seek the Republican nomination for president in Waukesha, Wis. on July 13, 2015 . Scott Olson—Getty Images
John Kasich 2016
Ohio Governor John Kasich arrives on stage to formally announce his campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination during a kickoff rally in Columbus, Ohio on July 21, 2015. Aaron P. Bernstein—Reuters

More Must-Reads from TIME

Contact us at letters@time.com

TIME Ideas hosts the world's leading voices, providing commentary on events in news, society, and culture. We welcome outside contributions. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editors.