The quickening continues: this afternoon Florida voted to move its presidential primary to Jan. 29, 2008, which puts it after Iowa (Jan 14), Nevada (Jan 19) and New Hampshire (Jan 22) but on the very same day as South Carolina's Democratic primary and four days ahead of the Palmetto state's GOP primary (Feb 2). At least for now. South Carolina has threatened to retaliate by moving its primary up further to protect its "first in the South" status.

The Florida House approved the bill in late March but the Senate was slow to pass it, due in no small part to both party's national committees threatening to sanction the state for going earlier than the original Feb. 5 date. Just two weeks ago, DNC chair Howard Dean warned that Florida (and other states that go earlier) wouldn't collect delegates and candidates that campaigned in those states would have their delegates reapportioned to all other candidates.