This Jan. 29 primary is the key to Republican candidate Rudy Giuliani's skip-the-early-contests strategy. The plan may backfire, however, now that Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney and John McCain have taken a major chomp out of his lead. Because Florida's early primary date violates party rules, it has been deprived of half its GOP delegates and all of its Democratic ones.http://www.newser.com/2008 - Newseren-usNewser Feed GeneratorThu, 28 Aug 2008 7:52:07 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/34055/obama-seeks-full-votes-for-discounted-delegates.html?refid=rss_all_defaultBarack Obama is urging the Democratic National Committee to count Florida and Michigan primary votes at full strength, the Chicago Tribune 's Swamp blog reports. In a letter to the DNC, Obama wrote that the delegates—demoted 3 months ago to half-votes in a committee compromise—"must know that they are full partners and colleagues in our historic mission to reshape Washington."http://www.newser.com/story/34055/obama-seeks-full-votes-for-discounted-delegates.html?refid=rss_all_defaultSun, 03 Aug 2008 18:55:44 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/28902/dems-seat-fla-mich-delegates-as-half-votes.html?refid=rss_all_defaultDemocratic officials voted today to seat Florida and Michigan primary delegates as half-votes, the AP reports. At a boisterous hearing, delayed by nearly 3 hours of private talks, the party seated Florida delegates based on the state's primary vote, with 105 for Clinton and 67 for Obama. The Michigan deal was more complex, giving 69 of the half-votes to Clinton and 59 to Obama.http://www.newser.com/story/28902/dems-seat-fla-mich-delegates-as-half-votes.html?refid=rss_all_defaultSat, 31 May 2008 18:39:42 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/23255/dems-closer-to-florida-deal-dean-vows-to-seat-delegates.html?refid=rss_all_defaultThe Obama and Clinton campaigns and the DNC are discussing a plan to seat Florida’s 185-delegate slate according to the outlaw primary’s results—but to give the delegates only half a vote each, Politico reports. Separately, Dean met with Florida Democratic leaders today and declared, "We will absolutely seat the delegation at the convention.”http://www.newser.com/story/23255/dems-closer-to-florida-deal-dean-vows-to-seat-delegates.html?refid=rss_all_defaultWed, 02 Apr 2008 16:45:10 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/22192/appeals-court-chucks-fla-primary-suit.html?refid=rss_all_defaultA federal appeals court today tossed a lawsuit from a Florida Democrat who claimed the Democratic National Committee violated his rights by stripping the state of primary delegates. But the challenge might not be dead, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports: A lower court ruled the plaintiff lacked standing because he hadn't voted in a Florida primary; now that he has, he could amend the suit.http://www.newser.com/story/22192/appeals-court-chucks-fla-primary-suit.html?refid=rss_all_defaultFri, 21 Mar 2008 16:07:00 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/21827/florida-dems-nix-primary-do-over.html?refid=rss_all_defaultFlorida Democrats reacted to weeks of political wrangling today by ditching plans for a mail-in revote, the Miami Herald reports. "Thousands of people responded," Florida Democratic Party chair Karen Thurman wrote. "The consensus is clear: Florida doesn’t want to vote again. So we won’t." But she said the Sunshine State still isn't calling it quits.http://www.newser.com/story/21827/florida-dems-nix-primary-do-over.html?refid=rss_all_defaultMon, 17 Mar 2008 18:17:40 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/21440/florida-will-go-with-june-3-mail-in-primary.html?refid=rss_all_defaultFlorida Democrats will announce plans for a new June 3 mail-in primary, despite opposition from the state's congressional delegation and concern from both candidates,  USA Today reports. Opponents are concerned ballots may fail to reach low-income voters who tend to change addresses frequently. Hillary Clinton wants the results of the original primary, which she won, to stand.http://www.newser.com/story/21440/florida-will-go-with-june-3-mail-in-primary.html?refid=rss_all_defaultThu, 13 Mar 2008 2:04:22 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/21146/mich-fla-closer-to-approving-re-votes.html?refid=rss_all_defaultMichigan and Florida senators appeared closer today to approving mail-in re-votes for their disqualified primaries, the Swamp blog reports. DNC chair Howard Dean said he also supported the mail-ins if state leaders can agree with Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on how to run them. “I have to run these rules so that the losing side feels it’s been treated fairly,” he said on “This Week with George Stephanopolous.”http://www.newser.com/story/21146/mich-fla-closer-to-approving-re-votes.html?refid=rss_all_defaultSun, 09 Mar 2008 17:04:52 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/21078/deal-close-for-mail-in-florida-revote.html?refid=rss_all_defaultFloridians will get a chance to vote again in the Democratic primary, this time by mail, if Florida Sen. Bill Nelson and Gov. Charlie Crist have their way. Nelson tells Newsweek that plans are all but set for a re-vote, this time paid for by soft money donations. But hurdles remain, including what Nelson’s spokesman calls a “tiny” Florida law against mail-in voting.http://www.newser.com/story/21078/deal-close-for-mail-in-florida-revote.html?refid=rss_all_defaultSat, 08 Mar 2008 11:59:25 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/21010/fla-senator-dnc-tangle-over-primary-funding.html?refid=rss_all_defaultWith the nomination race tied up, eyes are turning to Florida and Michigan’s delegates, and top Democrats are mixing it up over funding for a primary re-do, the Hill reports. US Sen. Bill Nelson, a Hillary Clinton supporter, has urged the DNC to accept the results or pony up $20 million, warning that denying the delegates will be the “biggest train wreck you’ve ever seen.”http://www.newser.com/story/21010/fla-senator-dnc-tangle-over-primary-funding.html?refid=rss_all_defaultFri, 07 Mar 2008 10:12:03 CST