You've probably heard that Newt Gingrich won the most coveted newspaper endorsement in the nation.[1] As respectable a newspaper as the New Hampshire Union Leader may be, it's not even in the top 100 U.S. newspapers.[2] Its editorial board has outsized influence because New Hampshire voters have far greater influence than the voters of most states, and New Hampshire voters have greater influence because New Hampshire is the fist state to vote.[3]

Much like the distorting effect of the electoral college, the preferential voting position given to some states is antidemocratic. There may have been a good reason 30 years ago to let a few states vote early, but modern technology makes it possible for a candidate to wage a national campaign without massive spending.

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[1] http://unionleader.com/article/20111127/NEWS0605/711279999

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_newspapers_in_the_United_States_by_circulation

[3] Iowa is the first state to award delegates, but it does so through a caucus system, instead of voting.