Rep. Maxine Waters (D., Calif.) said that California should have more influence over the Democratic primary process because the state has so many wealthy donors.
"We have candidates who fly out to Los Angeles from everywhere to raise money," Waters said Thursday on CNBC. "You would have two, three, four at a time in Beverly Hills having dinners and some of our contributors, who are very rich, were holding fancy parties, trying to accommodate the requests for donations and contributions."
"The thinking is that if we are supplying tremendous dollars to candidates, we ought to have more say," she added.
CNBC anchor Kelly Evans mentioned the California governor's decision to move up the date of the state's primary from June to Super Tuesday in March. In the wake of the Iowa Democratic Party's mismanagement of the Iowa caucuses, Evans asked how California's influence on the primary process could increase.
"How do you think that will affect who becomes the nominee in your party this time around and in the future?" she asked Waters.
Waters said that popular sentiment has turned against Iowa and New Hampshire's status as the first two primary states.
"A lot of people have come to the conclusion that it should not simply be Iowa and New Hampshire, that certainly they are not reflective of the makeup of this country," Waters said. "And so, California has a role to play."