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Home Front: Politix
Fla. Dems to Keep Jan. 29 Primary
2007-09-23
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - The Florida Democratic Party will stick with a Jan. 29 presidential primary even if it means losing all its nominating convention delegates, a party source said Saturday.
The clown show continues ...
The Democratic National Committee gave the state party until Sept. 29 to come up with an alternative delegate selection plan to stay within party rules, such as caucuses or a vote-by-mail primary, but party leadership has rejected that idea. The DNC Rules Committee voted last month to strip Florida of its 210 delegates if the state party held a primary before Feb. 5. Major Democratic presidential candidates have signed a pledge to restrict campaigning in Florida if it violates party rules.

State party Chairman Karen Thurman, members of the congressional delegation and state legislative leaders were scheduling a news conference Sunday to announce their position. State party staff has been polling executive committee members and determined at least 75 percent support for the early primary, the source said. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because executive committee members were still be notified.

Even though Florida won't have delegates at the nominating convention, party leaders felt that the Jan. 29 date will let the rest of the country know who the state supports one week before an expected 25 states go to the polls, including big prizes like California and New York. Also, Florida will vote on a constitutional amendment during its primary election that could significantly cut property taxes. Democratic party leaders felt pushing their delegate selection plan past Feb. 5 would have affected turnout in the ballot question.
Posted by:Steve White

#8  Florida saves the Union again!
Posted by: Thomas Woof   2007-09-23 23:39  

#7  As a Floridian, I am sitting here with the biggest smile on my face since Bob Graham lost his notebook. All this means is that Florida will not forget (as a state not a single party) come November. Hard to believe that a Hillary/Barack ticket can win nationwide without Florida. In fact, they can't win any state in the south so why alienate the one state (due to migration from the north and midwest) that gives them a fighting chance. Yep, Howard Dean is as dumb as he sounds.
Posted by: Jack is Back!   2007-09-23 13:54  

#6  Of course, the Democratic Party of Florida does choose the electoral college representatives. The national really has short attention span, wasn't there something about Florida, electors, and 2000?
Posted by: Procopius2k   2007-09-23 08:45  

#5  The DNC disenfranchises Florida.

YJCMTSU!
Posted by: Mike   2007-09-23 08:11  

#4  Not true Swamps. I'm changing party to vote in this one. The Demo's have arranged their traditional firing squad here. The boycott of Florida by the top Demos is really going to hurt them (gawd willing) in November. No campaign in Florida, no cash from Florida.
Posted by: Thomas Woof   2007-09-23 03:06  

#3  I don't know anyone who cares about the primary, but they do care about the property tax amendment. Without it, I doubt anyone would show up for the primary.
Posted by: Swamp Blondie   2007-09-23 02:13  

#2  Was February 29 already taken?
Posted by: SteveS   2007-09-23 00:38  

#1  Popcorn! Gitcher popcorn rat cheer! :-D
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2007-09-23 00:13  

00:00