Barack Obama in Los Angeles

Nobody's surprised when a presidential candidate comes to California almost a year before the primary voting begins--looking for money. What's rare is the candidate who's also looking for votes. But this year is different. California's about to move its own primary up from June to February, which means that Golden State voters will be important for the first time in decades. Tonight, Illinois' Democratic Senator Barack Obama will be at a Hollywood fundraiser in Beverly Hills. This afternoon, presidential candidate Obama was scheduled to speak at the Rancho Cienega Sports Complex in the West Adams District of Los Angeles.