Why does an earlier primary give a state more influence on choosing a candidate?

Why does an earlier primary give a state more influence on choosing a candidate?

Thea Brodkin (Voter Service Chair) gives expert video advice on: What types of elections are there?; Why do we have primaries?; Why do states keep moving their primaries earlier? and more...

If enough states have a primary already before yours does and they select a certain candidate and it looks like a certain candidate has gotten the momentum and everything and then your state comes along it is almost like do I have to vote because we already know who the candidate is. But here in the United States we are really lucky because in the last, especially in the last couple presidential elections we have had candidates who did not do well in Iowa and did not do well in New Hampshire and then ended up being the national nominee. I mean that was true of Jimmy Carter, that was true of Bill Clinton. They did not win in the early primaries but they became the nominee because other states later on changed the way things were going so it is very important to feel that it is not over till it is over like Yogi Bera says because anything could happen.