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The White Debonair
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TheHill.com
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Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) warned the Democratic National Committee (DNC) Thursday that it is facing the biggest train wreck youve ever seen if a standoff is not resolved over his states pledged delegates to the partys presidential nominating convention.
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Nelson sent a letter to DNC Chairman Howard Dean Thursday asking the committee to either accept the Jan. 29 results of the primary election or pay for a redo of the elections, which could cost in the range of $20 million. He sent the letter after Dean did not return his telephone call Wednesday.
If they go to the Democratic Convention and stiff-arm the Florida delegations, how in the world do you think Floridians are going to support the Democratic nominee on Nov. 4? Nelson told reporters Thursday. Its in everybodys interest to find a solution to this problem.
However, earlier in the day, Dean said the party would not pay for any do-over.
We cant afford to do that, Dean stated on CBSs Early Show. Thats not our problem. We need our money to win the presidential race.
The DNC stripped Florida and Michigan of their delegates after both states moved up their primary dates. How to resolve the impasse is even more critical now that Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and Barack Obama (Ill.) are locked in a neck-and-neck battle for the presidential nomination, and neither has a clear path toward winning enough delegates to clinch the nomination. Clinton won both states, but both candidates agreed not to campaign there and Obama was not on the ballot in Michigan.
Lawmakers from both states met with DNC officials late Wednesday, but no progress was made on resolving the dispute. Its unclear whether further meetings will occur.
Nelson warned that if the DNC does not pay for a new primary and if the delegations are not seated, Democrats could very easily lose Florida, which has long played a key role in deciding the winner of the general election.
If they are not going to accept Floridas election, then we can do a redo, full-blown election again, but someone is going to have to pay for it other than the taxpayers of Florida, Nelson said.
Floridas Republican governor, Charlie Crist, and GOP legislature have refused to pay for a redo of the primaries, but Crist is open to holding another election paid for by the DNC, which has struggled in fundraising.
Nelson said not resolving the impasse would disenfranchise 1.75 million Florida Democrats who voted in the Jan. 29 primaries, as well as independents.
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