SEC primary
The SEC primary consists of eight southern states holding their presidential primary on the same day, March 1, 2015. The name comes from the popular southern football conference.
By scheduling their primaries on the same day early in the nominating process, the conservative southern states increase their influence over the selection of the nominee. This takes some influence away from the NH primary, and presidential candidates are spending less time in New Hampshire and more in the South as a result.[1]
The eight states in the SEC primary are:
- Texas
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Oklahoma
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- Arkansas
In addition, Louisiana holds its primary merely a few days later.
Notice, however, that the Iowa caucuses and the South Carolina primary come first, and Mike Huckabee has pointed out how important it is to win one of those elections.[2]