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Florida House passes bill to move presidential primary
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Panhandle Hillbillies
May 1, 2015, 1:40:03 AM5/1/15
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TALLAHASSEE — With Republican delegates at risk in the
presidential primary, the Florida House voted Wednesday to move
the primary election to the third Tuesday in March.
If the primary date isn't moved, Florida's 2016 primary under
current law would fall on March 1, early enough that the party
said it would allocate Florida's delegates proportionally. By
moving the election to the third Tuesday, which is March 15,
2016, that means whoever wins the primary will take all the
state's delegates.
In a year with two favored sons from Florida in the Republican
race, the ability to put all the state's support behind one
candidate could prove significant.
"It's a bill about Florida being relevant," House Speaker Steve
Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, said. "That's really what it comes
down to."
Rep. Blaise Ingoglia, the Republican Party of Florida chair,
supported the bill, as did the rest of the House. He said Monday
that he couldn't speak for the party officially but that he
supports a date change because any candidate who can win Florida
will be better poised to take on the Democratic nominee.
"We are the largest, most diverse swing state," Ingoglia, R-
Spring Hill, said. "The person who can come into the state of
Florida and win the state of Florida, really has his or her
organization put together."
Ahead of the 2012 presidential election, a similar bill was
supported by Democrats in the House, a point its then-sponsor
Rep. Kevin Rader, D-Delray Beach, was sure to point out on the
floor Wednesday. Although the GOP race for 2016 seems to be more
competitive than the Democrats' at this point, Democrats in the
House supported the change.
The issue now heads to the Senate, where an identical bill will
be heard by the Rules Committee on Thursday morning.
Times staff writer Michael Van Sickler contributed to this
report. Contact Michael Auslen at mau...@tampabay.com. Follow
@MichaelAuslen.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/florida-house-
passes-bill-to-move-presidential-primary/2220963
presidential primary, the Florida House voted Wednesday to move
the primary election to the third Tuesday in March.
If the primary date isn't moved, Florida's 2016 primary under
current law would fall on March 1, early enough that the party
said it would allocate Florida's delegates proportionally. By
moving the election to the third Tuesday, which is March 15,
2016, that means whoever wins the primary will take all the
state's delegates.
In a year with two favored sons from Florida in the Republican
race, the ability to put all the state's support behind one
candidate could prove significant.
"It's a bill about Florida being relevant," House Speaker Steve
Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, said. "That's really what it comes
down to."
Rep. Blaise Ingoglia, the Republican Party of Florida chair,
supported the bill, as did the rest of the House. He said Monday
that he couldn't speak for the party officially but that he
supports a date change because any candidate who can win Florida
will be better poised to take on the Democratic nominee.
"We are the largest, most diverse swing state," Ingoglia, R-
Spring Hill, said. "The person who can come into the state of
Florida and win the state of Florida, really has his or her
organization put together."
Ahead of the 2012 presidential election, a similar bill was
supported by Democrats in the House, a point its then-sponsor
Rep. Kevin Rader, D-Delray Beach, was sure to point out on the
floor Wednesday. Although the GOP race for 2016 seems to be more
competitive than the Democrats' at this point, Democrats in the
House supported the change.
The issue now heads to the Senate, where an identical bill will
be heard by the Rules Committee on Thursday morning.
Times staff writer Michael Van Sickler contributed to this
report. Contact Michael Auslen at mau...@tampabay.com. Follow
@MichaelAuslen.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/florida-house-
passes-bill-to-move-presidential-primary/2220963
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