Now that the RNC Delegation selection process is underway across Florida, many of the chosen delegates are wondering about
1) whether they will actually be attending if chosen as the second delegate (READ MORE ON THAT IN OUR RECENT ARTICLE HERE) and
2) where they can stay.
In addition to cutting the delegation in half, RNC members plan to limit the Florida delegation’s floor passes and keep delegation members out of prime hotels. The Tampa Bay Times recently reported that Florida GOP chairman Lenny Curry says he is trying to soften the punishments for Florida’s delegation by talking to Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus about it. ”Chairman Preibus understands the importance of Florida and winning the presidency,” Curry said in a Political Connections interview airing today on Bay News 9 at 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. “We are working behind the scenes. They’re not happy with us, the RNC, but we’re going to work together so that Florida Republicans have a great convention experience.”
FCN sources close to the Priebus say that the real problem is the reaction of the RNC members from outside of Florida. They are fed up with Florida after it has ignored the RNC Presidential schedule for two cycles (2008 and now 2012) in a row. The thought is that if the RNC lets Florida violate the rules once again without any punishment, then Florida will continue to violate the rules going forward and thus encourage other states to do the same. If Florida is not punished while other states adhere to the schedule, then it sends the wrong message. Even if Priebus feels bad about Florida grassroots activists getting hurt because Florida’s legislature set the primary date early, he still has to listen to the voices of all those other RNC members across the country.
The final word on all of this may rest with the RNC big-wigs, but we know that the Presidential nominee holds a ton of influence over this matter. The problem is whether or not there will even be a nominee in advance of the start of the convention.
We’ll keep you posted.
