DNC Pressuring Florida, Michigan;Hold Caucuses for Delegates

DNC Pressuring Florida, Michigan to Hold Caucuses for Delegates
By Kathy Barks Hoffman
The Associated Press
Wednesday 06 February 2007

The Democratic National Committee is pressuring Michigan and Florida to hold presidential caucuses so the delegates they lost for holding January primaries could be seated at the national convention, a top Michigan Democrat said Wednesday.

DNC member Debbie Dingell of Michigan said it's unclear whether either state would hold caucuses since they've already held primaries, Michigan on Jan. 15 and Florida on Jan. 29. She said the DNC is asking the states to consider such a plan.

Florida Democratic Party spokesman Mark Bubriski said the party has no intention of holding another election.

"We've said all along that we're going forward with our delegate selection program using the vote on January 29," he said. "We've got more delegate applications than ever."

Michigan Democratic Chairman Mark Brewer said the DNC isn't saying anything it hasn't said before to Michigan and Florida.

"Everybody involved, the candidates, the DNC and we, need to remain open-minded. So if someone comes up with a creative way that meets everyone's interests, we can do that" and get the delegates seated, he said.

DNC spokesman Damien LaVera had no comment.

The stakes are increasingly high as Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton compete for the delegates they need to win the party's presidential nomination, a contest that could stretch to the spring.

The decision could end up being made at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, which makes the question of whether the Michigan and Florida delegates are seated an important strategic point.

Clinton won both states' primaries. Obama was on Florida's ballot but had pulled his name from Michigan's ballot because the state broke DNC rules by moving its primary to Jan. 15. That forced his Michigan supporters to vote for "uncommitted" and hope for a share of the uncommitted delegates.

It's unlikely that Clinton would favor holding caucuses, which could open the door to Obama victories in two states she has won. But there also is pressure to hold some kind of alternative election that meets DNC rules so the states don't have to wait to find out if the delegates will be seated.

Both states were stripped of their delegates for violating DNC rules by holding early primaries. Democratic leaders in both states expect the delegates will be seated at the convention, and Clinton recently said she would ask her delegates to support seating the Michigan and Florida delegations.

So far Obama has not heeded her call to do the same, and it's unlikely he would if it means Clinton would get the larger share of delegates from both states.

Florida has 185 pledged delegates and 25 superdelegates who face not being seated at the convention; Michigan has 128 pledged delegates and 28 superdelegates.

Brewer said he has continued to talk to both campaigns, stressing that Michigan is an important state for either candidate to win in November. Florida officials have said their swing state also could be crucial to a Democrat getting into the White House.