Micah's right - conventions are key tests for statewide campaigns, and candidates who skip the conventions - from either party - are cowards. We predict the candidates who skip this process will be unsuccessful in June.
We have always known the support, efforts and endorsements of county political organizations are worth something. Apart from the line. Yielding that lane entirely to one candidate statewide while the rest of the field goes without may be prohibitive, absent some other advantage.