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Primary Speculation
Sep. 1st, 2007 02:35 pmOne thing nobody seems to be mentioning in the whole primary thing is that the Democratic convention does not decide
who appears on the Michigan and Florida state ballots as the candidate for President, or select the state's electors. The state parties do.
So, Michigan and Florida could, say, form a compact, by which each will nominate the winner of its primary if both states do not get their full share of delegates at the convention.
Now, if Mich/Fla nominate the same candidate as would win the nomination without their delegates, there would be no problem. If either or both vote for someone else, though, the national party would have the choice of recognizing their delegates, or having someone else on the Michigan and/or Florida ballots as the Democrat.
Which means either giving up on the punishment effort (and penalizing anybody who signed the "Four State Pledge" pushed by the Democratic National Committee), or ballot confusion that could elect a Republican.
The only way the Democratic National Committee can win the fight over primaries is if the state parties in Michigan and Florida exercise self-restraint. The same state parties that decided to go along with the moved-up primary dates instead of obeying the DNC's rules and hold a caucus after a non-binding primary.
who appears on the Michigan and Florida state ballots as the candidate for President, or select the state's electors. The state parties do.
So, Michigan and Florida could, say, form a compact, by which each will nominate the winner of its primary if both states do not get their full share of delegates at the convention.
Now, if Mich/Fla nominate the same candidate as would win the nomination without their delegates, there would be no problem. If either or both vote for someone else, though, the national party would have the choice of recognizing their delegates, or having someone else on the Michigan and/or Florida ballots as the Democrat.
Which means either giving up on the punishment effort (and penalizing anybody who signed the "Four State Pledge" pushed by the Democratic National Committee), or ballot confusion that could elect a Republican.
The only way the Democratic National Committee can win the fight over primaries is if the state parties in Michigan and Florida exercise self-restraint. The same state parties that decided to go along with the moved-up primary dates instead of obeying the DNC's rules and hold a caucus after a non-binding primary.
