Florida And Michigan In Play For Democrats?
Howard Dean will not bend the party rules to grandfather in the disputed delegates from Michigan and Florida, the Democratic party chairman said in a statement today.
Instead, he put the state parties on notice: either they can wait and allow the credentials committee to decide whether to seat their delegates, or submit to a re-vote sanctioned under DNC rules. “We look forward to receiving their proposals should they decide to submit new delegate selection plans and will review those plans at that time,” he said in the statement.
“Everyone seems to be asking what the DNC will do,” a Democrat close to Dean said. “But the question is: what will the state parties do.”
Both states went heavily for Hillary last time around, but she was also the only candidate who paid the states any attention. If one or both do a re-vote, will they go to Hillary again?
My guess is yes, which is why this will be devastating news for Obama if it happens. This from Florida Democrats chairwoman makes a re-vote sound unlikely in that state:
“It is important also that we are clear about one issue. At this time, no suggested alternative process has been able to meet three specific and necessary requirements: the full participation from both candidates, a guaranteed commitment of the millions of dollars it will cost to conduct the event and a detailed election plan that would enfranchise all Florida Democrats, including our military service members serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.
The Florida Democratic Party cannot consider any alternative that does not meet these requirements. Indeed, it is very possible that no satisfactory alternative plan will emerge, in which case Florida Democrats will remain committed to seating the delegates allocated by the January 29th primary.
Both Florida and Michigan would have to submit their re-vote plans to the national party, get them approved and then execute them by June 10th in order for this to work.
I don’t see it happening.
