The RNC hands Charlie Copeland a golden opportunity
As Delaware Dem reported, the RNC voted to shorten its primary season in order to try and freeze out the whack jobs. What I recently learned is that the rules changes could put Delaware Republicans in the drivers seat when it comes to picking the party’s next Mitt Romney.
Iowa and New Hampshire have traditionally enjoyed the “first in the nation status” when it comes to primaries and caucuses. They get all the media and candidate attention, as well as the economic benefit that comes with hosting the circus every four years. However, Charlie Copeland, in his position of Acting GOP Chair, has a golden opportunity to jump in front of New Hampshire and make sure Delaware Republicans get a voice in the process and Delaware citizens get the $264 million that flows into New Hampshire every four years.
The reason Delaware has this opportunity and other states don’t has to do with the way the penalty for jumping to the front of the calendar is structured. In the recent RNC rules meeting, the brainiacs at the RNC laid down the law that any state going in front of Iowa or New Hampshire would lose delegates:
The states that break those guidelines will face increased penalties compared to previous years. The committee passed a rule drastically shrinking the number of delegates that state would get at the party’s nominating convention. States with 30 delegates or more would be cut down to just nine delegates plus the RNC’s committee members, and states with less than 30 delegates would be cut down to 6 delegates plus their committeemen.
That penalty would be devastating for a big state, but for Delaware… big whoop. Down from 17 to 7 is nothing. Neither a 17 person delegation nor a 7 person delegation would have an impact on the final outcome, but by going first Delaware Republicans could influence the outcome. Based on this “punishment” there is literally no reason for Copeland not to jump at this opportunity.
Delaware can and should be the first state. The RNC has served it up to us on a golden platter. All we need to do to “create jobs” and reap the regularly recurring economic bonanza is for Charlie Copeland to man up for a change.
Can he put Delaware first for one time in his miserable public service half-assed career? I kind of doubt it, but crazy things happen in politics.
h/t to Kavips for mentioning this in a comment.
Jason – I seem to remember reading some time ago that New Hampshire has a state law to address such maneuvers: something along the lines of they will automatically move their primary ahead of any other state’s. Even if they fall on the same day, NH would probably draw more media coverage, although, yes, we should be the “First State”.
The first caucus then? Iowa may have a similar law, but it seems like political malpractice to turn away the estimated $264 million so Charlie can bring an extra 10 cronies and sycophants to the convention.
Given the steady decline of GOP registrations in Delaware, such a primary would be a farce — they’re rapidly approaching the era of “one candidate, one vote.”
true. Have I’s overtaken the R’s yet? That watershed moment needs to be celebrated when it happens.
Turk 182 is right, NH state law mandates they hold the “1st in the Nation primary” and the legal mechanism is in place to always hold their Primary before any other State’s Primary. Any attempt by another State to move up to the #1 spot, just moves the NH Primary up 7 days before the State trying to “jog” ahead of NH. The NH primary was always held the 2nd Tuesday in March, but now is in January, because of other States trying to cash in on the Presidential Candidate side show moola. If it keeps happening, we’ll see an endless cycle of Presidential Primary one-upmanship and end up with the NH primary starting the day after the election of a new POTUS! Delaware may be the 1st State, but not when it comes to holding the Presidential Primary.
Of course, that is exactly the point. NH would have to decide if they are interested in taking the punishment.
Delaware could pass exactly the same law and then we can see who blinks first or come to some accommodation like 2 primaries in one day. NH is only first because every state allows them to be first. What if all the states pass the same law? Why should a small state have such outsize influence? I suppose one reason would be that they have such a small influence in terms of electoral votes. But shouldn’t Delaware have the same rationale?
Regional primaries in border states make the most sense to me
Dave is right,. Copeland, grow some balls. Let’s do this.
Makes sense. After all, there might only be 7 R’s left in the state by the time of the presidential primary. Why not let them all go to the convention?
lol ! This “punishment” Is not punishment whatsoever. C’Mon Charlie, be a man!
Charlie,
If you call it economic development, Jack and Alan will get you a grant from the strategic fund.
I feel the momentum building.
LG, having lived in NH for many years, I can tell you, they can (and would) take the punishment! Heck, if enough States jumped in front of them, NH would love having a Primary in November instead of January! Have you ever been to NH in January? Folks go into the walk in freezers in stores, just to warm up! 😉 How about the controlling party in DE makes the pitch and presents the legislation this session, after all, the Democratic Party has the power and control to make almost any law happen. This would be a great one for Jack & Company to showcase another “success” in the First State!
Delaware would need to pass the same day registration, open primary process as NH for the national GOP to be ok that O’Donnell voters wouldn’t drive the results.
No objection has been raised that isn’t surmountable.
Charlie’s party is in such sad shape, Celia reports (http://delawaregrapevine.com/1-14convention.asp) that it will put off its convention until after the September primary so it doesn’t get into the messy business of endorsing candidates. Problem is, except for treasurer and auditor, they don’t have any statewide candidates.
One possible solution: tell Simpler and Bonini that the loser of their primary for treasurer will lead the ticket and run against Coons for Senate.
But that won’t work either. You can bet on Bonini bailing on the treasurer’s race when he realizes there’s a chance he would have to yield his safe seat in the state Senate.
Any bets on the GOP fielding a two-person statewide ticket?
They could package it as “Simpler Tom.”
If the over/under number for how many people are going to be on the GOP’s statewide ticket is 2, I’d have to take the over.
The GOP is made up of egotistical jerks, so there is some egotistical jerk who can be flattered into being a sacrificial lamb.
This, from Celia, is hilarious:
They need to hold the convention when Alan Levin is scheduled to be out of town.
In 2016, they might be able to talk Alan into running for governor, but he’d likely insist on having Jack as his running mate.
lol