Idea: Illinois as first-primary state

[The Right Honourable Martin Brian Mulroney PC CC GOQ]

Nah, too big of a state. Granted most IL voters live in the Chicago area, it's still a huge population and would put smaller candidates at a major disadvantage.

If the current primary system is to be maintained, Nevada and Delaware are good choices for first two. Both are small (by population) but fairly diverse states with significant WWC, Asian and Hispanic populations (NV) as well as Black and White College-educated populations (DE). Geographically this covers both west and east, although these states are dominated by metropolitan areas, so perhaps cancel that out by letting a state like Iowa go early too (though not first). For the Democratic Party, Nevada is a more #populist state while Delaware is more corporate, so it covers those wings too - for the GOP, they might want to include a heavily evangelical state, as well as a more moderate northeastern state go with them.