Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus urged Florida’s GOP-controlled state government to abandon efforts to hold an early presidential primary election, a move that cost the state half its delegates in 2008.
Priebus, speaking Wednesday in Tampa, which is preparing to host the 2012 Republican National Convention, said he intends to protect the status of primaries held in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. Those states have traditionally been afforded the honor of holding the first primary election contests for both parties, giving the select states greater influence in deciding which candidates ultimately win their party’s nomination.
Voting in other states should begin on or after March 1, Priebus said, “so we can bring some order into the presidential election process.”
The St. Petersburg Times, which first reported Priebus’ comments, said the new RNC chairman has already discussed the issue with Florida Gov. Rick Scott, but declined to comment about their conversation.
“As far as Florida is concerned, I would do encourage the legislature to do everything they can to abide by the rules passed by both the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee together to make sure we can bring some order into the presidential election process,” Priebus said.
March primaries would be a “proportional-type delegate award system,” with April elections “potentially winner-take-all,” Priebus said, allowing states that hold later elections to send a unified delegation. The Iowa Caucuses begin the primary election season on Feb. 6.
Florida is among five states that were punished in 2008 for holding early elections. Michigan, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Wyoming were also stripped of half their delegates to the national convention.