Florida Democrats To Lose Votes For Presidential Nominee

Saturday, August 25th 2007, 11:12 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Florida Democrats could lose their votes for the presidential nominee next year unless they change plans to hold their primary earlier than national party rules allow.

The Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee was poised Saturday to vote against Florida's plans for a Jan. 29 primary and to strip the state of delegate votes at the national convention in Denver next year, several party officials said.

With other states rushing to set early nominating contests, Florida offers the first test of the DNC's resolve to restore order to the schedule it set last year. Michigan and New Hampshire also are considering moving up their voting, in violation of the party rules.

Several party officials said they want to take a tough stand against Florida and send a message to other states. The shifting dates have added some uncertainty to the presidential candidates' campaign plans with the first votes to be cast in less than five months.

Advisers to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who has a wide lead in Florida polls, said she will go wherever elections are held. But the DNC has threatened to penalize candidates who campaign in states that violate the rules.

Other candidates are waiting to see how the dispute shakes out. Sen. Barack Obama's schedule had him raising money in Florida on Saturday, but his campaign said the Illinois senator might not return often during the primary season.

Party rules say states cannot hold their 2008 primary contests before Feb. 5, except for Iowa on Jan. 14, Nevada on Jan. 19, New Hampshire on Jan. 22 and South Carolina on Jan. 29. Florida ignored that calendar and passed a law setting its date for Jan. 29.

According to the rules, a violation means penalties: The Democratic congressional delegation and DNC members from Florida would lose their votes for the nominee at the Denver convention.

Also, the party's Rules and Bylaws Committee would decide whether to strip Florida of anywhere from half to all of its 185 other delegates to the convention.

The state party would have 30 days to change its plan before the sanctions would go into effect. Florida's Democratic lawmakers are pledging to fight back.

``We are quite concerned that Florida Democrats are going to lose their right to vote,'' Sen. Bill Nelson told reporters Friday. Recalling the 2000 presidential election controversy in Florida, he added, ``And of all states, we have the sensitivity of this because of what we have gone through.''

In 2000, the election between Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore was held up for a recount in Florida. The Supreme Court stopped the recount, and Bush won the state by 537 votes.

Michigan's Legislature has taken up a bill that would move its contest to Jan. 15, but the state party submitted a proposal that for now describes a caucus on Feb. 9. New Hampshire's secretary of state says he may move up the state's primary, but for now the party has submitted a plan for Jan. 22, with the notation that the date is subject to change.