Michigan Repugs delegation cut in half for 08 convention

Mich. national GOP delegation cut in half October 22, 2007 By KATHLEEN GRAY FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER Michigan Republicans will lose half their delegates to the GOP’s national convention in St. Paul, Minn. next year. The state was supposed to have 60 delegates going to the national convention, but will only be allowed 30. The Legislature passed a law in August moving Michigan’s presidential primary to Jan. 15, in violation of national party rules.As a result of that violation, RNC chairman Mike Duncan said today that Michigan will lose half its delegation at the Sept. 1-4 convention, where the party’s nominee will officially be selected.“This will come as no surprise to any of the states involved,” Duncan said, noting that the rules for the 2008 delegate selection process were passed in 2004.Four other states — New Hampshire, Florida, South Carolina and Wyoming — also will lose half their Republican delegations because they moved their presidential primary election dates.Michigan moved up its primary, in part, to challenge the traditional roles that Iowa and New Hampshire have played as the first caucus and primary elections in the nation. Those states get extraordinary attention from the presidential candidates from both parties.While Republicans will only lose half their delegates, Democrats are facing a harsher sanction. All of the Democratic candidates have signed pledges not to campaign in Michigan. And four of the Democratic candidates — Sens. Barack Obama and Joe Biden, former Sen. John Edwards and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson — have withdrawn from the Michigan primary.Duncan said Monday there’s still time for Michigan to change its mind and not face any consequences for the Jan. 15 primary.“The compliance committee won’t meet until after the 2007 general election in November,” he said. “And we always believe in redemption.”