Florida Dems cancel straw ballot

[Bombtrack]

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/politics/7279624.htm

Instead of the non-binding Florida beauty contest many activists wanted, Democratic hopefuls for the White House will attend town hall meetings and receptions.
BY PETER WALLSTEN
[e-mail]

TAMPA - Florida Democrats helped spark the presidential campaigns of Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton in years past with an early ''straw poll'' of activists, but they will not get that chance this time.

State party leaders voted Sunday to not hold the non-binding beauty contest at their convention near Orlando next month, succumbing to pressure from candidates who feared a time-consuming and costly battle in Florida just weeks before real votes are cast in Iowa, New Hampshire and other key states.

All nine candidates had pledged to boycott the Florida convention if the straw ballot were held but said they would come if there was no ballot.

[deminflorida]

1. Excellent....for this state....

Gives newcomer candidates like Clark a chance to shore up needed Military and Veterans support here in North Florida. Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi Primaries are March 9, and should give Clark a big boost midway thru the primary season. If he follows with a big win in Kansas on March 13, he will have to be considered as a serious consideration for the nomination. I believe there are 30 primaries prior to March 9 and I think Clark needs to win 15 of them to be in it. (Who do I believe will fall Clark's way: Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Maine -(Conservative Democratic state), Tennessee, Virginia -(Big Military state), Idaho, Georgia, Hawaii - (Military State, Pacific Fleet), Maryland -(Military State, Military Contracts), Missouri, New York (Want's Security and someone to go after Bin Laden), Ohio, and Texas. Just my prediction, could be he wins more but Labor will hurt him in Michigan, and Washington State. Also Gephart may take Missouri as well if he doesn't drop out after losing Iowa to Dean.

[Bombtrack]

3. It's too bad that Clark has made Edwards his main opponent early on

because I want those 2 and Kerry to be the last men standing no matter what

[madfloridian]

2. I would like to really believe that all the candidates pledged that.

I would like to really believe that. There was a whole lot of confusion over how that was played. I don't think the candidates really knew it was going on until it was over.

I am not going, but I do know for sure that Dean and Edwards were coming anyway, poll or no poll.

I think the DNC butted its nose in.