Michigan Democrats Agree to Push for Early June Primary Re-Do
WASHINGTON — Michigan Democrats agreed Friday to push a do-over primary in early June to give them a say in the close presidential race between Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama.
Amid talks with the two campaigns, the four Michigan Democrats said in a statement they were “focusing on the possibility of a state-run primary in early June which would not use any state funding.” Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, one of the Democratic participants, said a likely date is June 3.
“This option would require the passage of legislation by the state legislature, and we look forward to working with the members of the legislature in the coming days to see if this option can be made a reality,” the Democrats said.
Other Michigan Democrats working on the plan were Democratic National Committee member Debbie Dingell, Sen. Carl Levin and United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger.
Mark Brewer, chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party, said the potential privately funded primary was “a good first step” toward seating the state’s delegation at the Democratic National Convention.
The agreement now hinges on getting the campaigns and party officials to approve legislation, still being written, that would set the primary for early June. In the statement, Brewer said party leaders would need to write legislation “that is acceptable to the MDP and both the Clinton and Obama campaigns.”
To go forward, any plan would require the approval of the two campaigns, the Democratic National Committee, state party leaders and Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who is backing Clinton. Brewer said a revised delegate plan would also need to be approved by the state party’s executive committee and the DNC’s rules and bylaws committee.
Michigan Democrats need to act quickly because the politically divided legislature will have to sign off on the deal and approve how to spend the privately raised funds for a new election. Members of the Democratic-controlled state House and Republican-controlled state Senate leave at the end of the month on their two-week spring break.
The contest must be held by June 10 for the results to count under DNC rules.
The national party punished Michigan and Florida for moving up their primaries before Feb. 5, stripping them of all their delegates. The two states have been struggling to come up with alternative plans to ensure their delegates are seated at the national convention this summer in Denver.
Michigan held its primary Jan. 15 and Florida voted Jan. 29. Clinton won both, although she was the only major candidate on the Michigan ballot.
Kilpatrick said although she is optimistic, Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey has expressed concern they may not have the time or manpower to pull it off. She said they are trying to work through those issues.
Both campaigns said they would evaluate the plans. Obama spokesman Bill Burton said the campaign hoped “a resolution can be arrived at that is fair and practical.”
Former Michigan Gov. James Blanchard, the co-chairman of Clinton’s Michigan campaign, said they were “looking at this with great interest … it has some great possibilities.”
Florida Democrats said they will make a decision by Monday on whether to hold a dual mail-in and in-person re-vote. But the plan floated this week faces opposition from the state’s Democratic congressional delegation, and Obama has also expressed concerns about security and accuracy of a mail-in vote organized so quickly. Democratic National Committee rules require the vote to be scheduled by June 10.
Florida DNC member Jon Ausman on Friday filed an appeal to the rules committee asking that the state’s 23 superdelegates and half its at-large delegates be restored. He argued that party rules say superdelegates “shall” be seated and that the punishment for holding an early primary is losing half the at-large delegates.
“They far exceeded their authority by giving us the death penalty,” Ausman said.
While party rules at the time the primary date was moved did say that states would lose half their delegates, the rules committee later voted to strip Florida of all its delegates. Florida had 210 delegates, including 185 pledged delegates.
Why not except the orignal voting? Are they hoping that a Re-Do will change the
outcome?? Also Florida’s Jan 29th primary results should stand and be allowed!!!
How can the Demorats run a United States if they can’t even run an primary.
So if the phone rings at 3:00 A.M. they would call back a month or two later
to ask for a do over.
Or maybe the Super D’sssssssssss will save them.
Do we really want these people in charge of every aspect of our lives? I can hardly wait to see how they decide to untie this Gordian knot they’ve created for themselves. One can only hope they self-destruct because of their own partisanship.
[...] Michigan Democrats Near Plans for Do-Over Primary • Pelosi: Clinton-Obama Dream Ticket a [...]
I have always been a Republican. I will tell you why. It seems everytime the Dem’s show the first sign of a faint brain wave… It is followed by 364 days of constant idiotic thinking. Democrat’s should be outlawed. They should be sent back to their original ancestral countries. If they don’t know where they came from…send them to Iran.
What about the people that voted on the republican ticket because Obamas name was withdrawn from the ticket in Michigan? Are we going to be allowed to vote again? It’s only fair!
And the lesson learned by those who defy the party primary rules is ????????????????
THE DNC IS A JOKE.
BECAUSE THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE IS SO CLOSE, NOW THEY COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK AND SAY THE VOTERS HAVE BEEN DISENFRANCHISED? WHERE WAS THE OUTCRY WHEN THEY WERE AVOIDING THOSE STATES LIKE THE PLAGUE? WHAT A BUNCH OF POLITICIANS (MEANT IN A DUROGATORY WAY)
SO I SAY RUN A DO- OVER, LET THE PEOPLE SPEAK, THEN PUNISH THE CANDIDATES, BY STRIPPING THEM OF THEIR FUNDRAISERS IN THOSE STATES AND MAKE THEM COME UP WITH THE MONEY FOR THE PRIMARIES. PUNISH THEM WHERE IT HURTS THE MOST, THEIR WALLETS.
THEN AFTER ALL THIS THE DNC AND THE CANDIDATES SHOULD MAKE A PUBLIC, FORMAL APOLOGY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AS A WHOLE FOR TRYING TO SUPPRESS THEIR RIGHTS TO VOTE.
Of course Obama would not abide by the January vote since it was not favorable to him. I do believe he was on the ballot. Did he not run ads in the state? Is this not a form of campaigning when both candidates had agreed not to campaign in the state? the people of Florida voted, but not for him. I would be very angry if I had cast my vote for one candidate only to be told it would have to given to someone I did not chose not to vote for. Talk about chaning the rules when it is favorable to you…something they accuse Clinton of doing….
Would the revote be fair to candidates that have dropped out?
For instance, John edward. The Michigan’s outcoume could have changed the course of his campain.
To avoid any lawsuit, I think we should just forget the revote option. Maybe do like the republicans did. Slash the delegates in half and then distribute. That way, delegates are seated and the rules are enforced.
ATTENTION FLORIDA AND MICHIGAN…YOU DECIDED TO GO AGAINST DNC RULES AND HOLD EARLY PRIMARIES. TOO BAD. YOU MADE YOUR DECISION, NOW MOVE ON!
Let’s go Michigan. http://www.hillaryspeaksforme.com
Do it again, give Hillary your support.
That’s good news!
I hope the voters will remember this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdB6srG4tvw
You should play by the rules. Rules can’t be changed after the game is over. The Democratic Committee has no one to blame but themselves. They made their bed now they can lie in it. Both candidates and all of the voters knew nothing would count. You can bet this won’t happen again.
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THE WAY I SEE THIS ISSUE WITH MICHIGAN AND FLORIDA REVOTES, IS IT IS JUST ANOTHER WAY THE DEMOCRATS HAVE COME UP WITH TO STEAL THE 2008 ELECTION . THIS IS THE MOST ABSURD THING I HAVE EVER HEARD OF. IF THIS WERE A REPUBLICAN SCHEME THE WHOLE COUNTRY WOULD BE OUTRAGED!!!!!!!!!
I’m an Indapendant to Republican so i’ll vote for neither, HOWEVER, The all agreed no results from either state would count……..why now must the count? I tell my child no! go back and say well ok… HE BEGING TO FEEL THERE ARE NO RULES….. are there any real rules?
So this Michigan proposal is open to all Michigan voters, regardless of party? I seem to remember a push for dems to vote in the Michigan GOP primary to sabotage it. What are they going to do here? Theoretically, they dont know who voted in the GOP primary by name,. so every GOPer and dem should be allowed to vote in this one under Michigan’s law.
I’m sorry you didn’t win the nomination because the other 4th graders called do-over. How old are we?
The National Dem’s are trying to control states rights. Michigan & Florida voters should all
vote Republican in the election if their delegates are not seated. We should not have to
vote in a do over primary.
Why is this country in turmoil? Why are we looked down upon by so many others in the world? One must only look at our own “democratic” way of electing our officials to see why peoples of other countries cringe at the thought of the good ole’ US of A promoting and pushing (by force) our “democratic” way of rule.
I know that there are those who will not give a rip about my opinions regarding the Democratic Party’s rediculous move to change the primary in our state (Michigan), when it was clearly out of order with the rules, but I was so turned off by this brazen move, that I refused to vote and take part in such a farse of an election process…I refused to be a part of it!
Now, we the people of the United States of America are even considering the opportunity of a “do-over”?! I am sick to my stomach! Re-read my first paragraph. I wish that I could move to the moon. Even that remote outpost will probably be under the influence of our so-called democratic rule and rules of engagement too soon for me to grow old and die!
WHY ARE THESE STATES BEING CATERED TO? THEY BROKE THE RULES BY HAVING THEIR PRIMARYS TOO EARLY, WHICH THEY KNEW! ITS THEIR OWN FAULT! NOW ALL THIS TIME IS BEING SPENT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY CAN VOTE. IF THEY HAD WAITED LIKE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO WE WOULD’NT HAVE THIS PROBLEM! AND HOW IN THE WORLD CAN ANYONE STATE CLINTON WON. WON WHAT? OBAMAS NAME WAS’NT EVEN ON IT! THIS IS THE MOST PATHETIC PRESIDENTIAL RACE I’VE EVER SEEN!
I’m totally against this farce unless the Dems pay all the costs upfront before any such primary takes place. Michigan is in such dire financial straits that the last thing we taxpayers need to do is fund the asininity of a second primary because the politicians screwed up in their dumb decision to move the date.
Billary should be careful of what she wishes for, as if there is a second primary, Obama will win it.
Only the Democrats could do something as pathetic as this. First they break the “law” of their own party, and now they want a do-over. Sounds like amnesty to me, doesn’t it?
No revote. Either follow party rules or face the consequences. Too much chance for fraud, errors, etc. Work on changing the rules for the NEXT election, not this one. It’s too late for this one.
I think this “re-do” mentality is ridiculous. What are we teaching our children?
Its ok to not play by the rules….we’ll just change the rules as we go along.
This just ensures chaos not only politically but could seep into our everyday lives.
Follow the rules….they are there to ensure order.
I guess we can start re-doing primary in each state now. Get a life Dems!! This is not a moving target
Privately funded public primary. I smell trouble.
i think the DNC should pay for both primarys ans if it doesn’t cancel them. people like howard dean should be kept accountable for stupid decsions. but then any party that puts a stupid man like that in charge of their party should pay for his mistakes. Maybe both states will get pieved and vote republican and teach the DNC a lesson
They should be counted, it is not fair that every vote is not counted.
O.K. If your going to spend the money of democrats to correct the problems caused by democrats, enjoy yourself!! If anyone intends to seek Republican based funds for this nonsense, stand back, your about to become a target of great abuse.
Milton
Obama was tne one who decided to give into peer pressure and slap the Michigan democrats. WHY should he be allowed to change his mind? It was his choice.
DONT AGREE TO IT OBAMA!!! HILLARY ONCE AGAIN CHANGING THE RULES, MOVING THE GOAL-POSTS MID-GAME. THE CLINTONS WILL DO ANYTHING TO WIN. AMERICA DESERVES BETTER THAN HILLARY CLINTON. WE DONT NEED BILL CLINTON BACK BEHIND THE DESK.
McCAIN 2008
The supposed leaders of Florida and Michigan broke the rules and now their citizens are paying the price, I hope that they don’t re-vote in Florida and Michigan maybe next time they will follow procedures. The Democratic National Committee should set an example out of them.
Of course these two delegations have to be seated by compromise; if Barach sees it, then anybody can. Although I will vote for McCain, and I am sympathetic to Hillary, on this point I give Barach some credit- he sees something has to be done.
The Dems made the rules and they should adhere to them, then perhaps this States Politicians would have listened before they decided to change the date for voting. You say that the Party is going to pay for this, show us the proof. I don’t want my tax dollars paying for your mistakes.
I’m surprised Granholm isn’t going to raise taxes on the big 3 in order to fund this bureaucratic nightmare.
We Floridians are very angry that our vote does not mean anything. There was no campaign here in Florida from democrats even though OBAMA manage tosneak some political ads on TV.
All the Democrats candidates were in the ballot and we selected and voted for Hillary Clinton and she WON !
The Democratic party better do something fast and make ourvote count.
As a Michigander, I feel that a do over should NOT happen in Michigan or Flordia. Choices were made by the Democratic party before the voting happened and they need to stick to these choices. I feel that this want of a do over shows the true colors of the party and that they can not face the consequences of their decisions. If they lose the election this year are they going to want a do over because they picked the wrong candidate?
Can someone explain why a state would move its primary up and lose its delegates in the first place?
What is the upside?
Go Michigan. Vote . Hillary was there on the first ballot! Obama could of had his name there but chose not to. Hillary will look out for Michigan. Vote your will and your heart . Don’t forget Hillary .
Patricia
looks like hillary will get her way? what the over and under odds for how many lawsuits will be filed before the votes are counted?
There should be no re-vote. All the rest of the states new the rules why didn’t Michigan and Florida. Another act of errogance by people in power. The citizens in these states should hold the people responsible for staging the Primary Elections in these states responsible monetarily and morally for this mess. Never mind this is the Democrats. For get accountability.
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The democrats made their own mess on primary. I don’t think the democrats in Michigan can be serious that the republicans are going to help them at all. Democrats get real. Your party is a three ring circus.
This is bizarre…first of all, Florida and Michigan DECIDED to hold primaries ignoring DNC RULES. Now they have to make a decision to hold primaries before June 10th according to DNC RULES. What makes the rules important now? They obviously didn’t mean anything before.
Does anyone out there on the “Political Planet” see that they are making a joke out of the U.S. Political System? Michigan and Florida made their DECISION…now just move on.
Michigan’s plan sounds like something that is doable. As far as Florida is concerned, after 2002, 2006 and this present nonsense…the clowns running that organization simply need to be expelled from the Democratic Party. They have already given us George Bush, hanging chads and confusing ballots. Those incompetent bumblers don’t know how to do wrong right. The Republicans don’t even need to have an organization to beat this bunch. These Democrats will beat themselves every time.
Who pays the bill? The DNC or the tax payer? If it is the tax payer are the republicans exempt?
No do-over in Michigan. The party better not expect the taxpayers to foot the bill for 10+ mil.
I am a Democrat and I am tired of this whole debacle. Mark Brewer and others knew there would be ramifications in what I call a “want-to-be-first” syndrome, this is how it started. The Michigan Democratic Party wanted to tout to the whole US of A the importance of our troubled state: jobs leaving, housing foreclosures, poverty increasing, etc. “By being first we will be noticed.”
So the, primary gets pushed up to January 15, but before this happened, lawsuits were filed, monies wasted, and the consequences? A closed primary. Our names and party choices are with the parties that we voted with due to the lawsuits. And on top of this, Hillary’s name was the only one that appeared on the ballot…..she didn’t take it off, the others did, but she stated that she would not campaign out of respect for the DNC. Secretary of State and local clerk’s offices in a frenzy to adhere to the date. Lost yet? I sure am.
Then we wait for the proverbial pot to boil over with the fighting between the state party and the national party to see if and when the delegates will “take their seats”. Well, it sure did. (Sorry Florida can’t help you with your debacle seems, we Michiganians are having troubles as well.)
Wow, no one can agree as to how to settle this dilemma. So it would appear that out of state and in state “investors” are reaching into their pocketbooks to give monies to the Democratic Party of Michigan to hold another election, so we can have delegates seated. I am supposed to pay homage to them for the “honor” of being able to vote again? That’s the way the voters in Michigan will take it. Someone is paying for me to be able to vote again, not the taxpayers, but a Party with major monies from private entities.
Boy, still confused? I am. Forget about the time line, let’s consider the average voters’ response right now: flummoxed, mad, feeling ignored, defeated, etc. The Democratic Party of Michigan made everyone, Republicans and Democrats, go to the polls early on January 15th, 2008, due to the Michigan Democratic Party’s insistence. Now that they did not like the outcome they want to do it again? They knew that the penalties would be put in place but they forged on anyway. That’s the key issue. We lined up like cows for a slaughter amongst the ropes on the way to the booths and we were decimated. Our choices are decimated.
These results will not be the same and an outcome will be different than what they were to begin with. Hillary was on the ballot, Obama and Edwards were the “uncommitted.” Should we throw Edwards back in to make them true to the first election’s outcome?
I will NOT be voting again and a lot of others won’t either. Especially since our first vote didn’t matter, what makes me think that my second vote will matter? I will not be fooled a second time.
Andi
plain and simple answer to michigan and florida, you screwed up, got greedy and your own state party did it too you. now deal with it, the thought of anyone having to waste money on a redo in these economic times is ludicrous. the original is what it was, a no count vote due to your party leaders, they and you knew it didn’t count, your national party told you so. now its time to move on and learn to play by the rules. florida lets try to get it right for the first time in 8 years and michigan lets learn from floridas past mistakes and get back on track. your next turn is in november, the rest of the country would like it to be fair and correct without any BS.