Teaching Profession

Weingarten to Help Shape 2012 Primary Calendar

By Stephen Sawchuk — March 24, 2009 1 min read
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From Guest Blogger Dakarai A. Aarons

American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten will have a hand in shaping the 2012 presidential primary calendar. The union head was among those named to the new Democratic Change Commission by Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee. (Hat tip to POLITICO.com for first reporting the news.)

The 37-member group is charged with recommending changes to the Democratic Party’s rules for the 2012 presidential nominating and delegate-selection process. The nominating calendar became a source of serious tension during the 2008 campaign, after Florida and Michigan defied party leaders and held their Democratic primaries earlier than normal.

Weingarten is joined on the commission by at least two others affiliated with education: Tuscon, Ariz., school board member Adelita Grijalva, the daughter of U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz.; and Robert Hampshire, a Carnegie Mellon University public-policy professor who helped organize informal gatherings for Obama supporters.

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A version of this news article first appeared in the Teacher Beat blog.