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RNC Votes To Cut State Delegations

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By WILLIAM MARCH, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 9, 2007

Despite protests from state Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer, the full Republican National Committee voted Thursday to cut in half the national convention delegations of those states, including Florida, that hold presidential primaries before Feb. 5.

The Florida Legislature voted early this year to set the state's presidential primary on Jan. 29.

After the action in a conference call, Greer said in a statement that he was "not surprised" but disappointed, and predicted this is just the first step. Florida, he contends, still will have a full delegation at the Republican convention.

It probably does mean, however, that the voting power of Florida Republicans in the Jan. 29 primary effectively will be cut in half. Delegates' votes at the convention are how the will of primary voters is carried out.

Only a presumptive presidential nominee can overturn the sanction and restore the full delegation. To become the presumptive nominee, a candidate would have to amass enough delegates to cinch the race without counting on Florida's full delegation.

Greer had sent a letter Wednesday to the RNC arguing against the sanction.

Robert Bennett, head of an RNC committee responsible for convention delegate selection rules, said the rules, passed at the 2004 convention, are "unequivocal" on the subject, and that everyone involved knew it before the Florida Legislature chose to move the date.

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