Will Florida and Michigan delegates decide the Democratic nomination?

Hillary Clinton

Featured Topic | Posted 26 weeks 2 days ago

Will Florida and Michigan delegates decide the Democratic nomination?

With the nominating contest between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama getting ever-tighter, there's a growing call -- mostly from Clinton partisans -- to allow Michigan and Florida primary results to count at the Democratic National Convention. But those states held primaries in violation of party rules, which is why their votes aren't being allowed. The result: Obama didn't campaign in those states, essentially conceding the votes there to Clinton because it didn't seem to matter at the time.

Clinton says every vote should count; Obama says that changing rules midstream would give her an unfair advantage.

Should Florida and Michigan votes count? Should Democrats stick to the rules? Or should those states get a re-vote to make their voices heard?

Ben likes: Ben likes: Let's Re-vote in Michigan and Florida

Newt Gingrich/Wall Street Journal

Hold the Michigan and Florida Democratic primaries again. The voters -- not the party insiders -- have the moral authority to choose the nominee. Democratic voters in Michigan and Florida should get that chance. Then in November, we'll have a fair fight. And I'll be honest -- it may not help the chances for a Republican victory in the fall. But it will help something even more important: the integrity of our political process.

Joel likes: Should Michigan and Florida vote again?

Joan Walsh/Salon

Lately I find myself wondering: Why aren't more powerful Democrats in both the Obama and Clinton camps lobbying for a revote in Florida and Michigan? Is it simply about money? Sure, it would be expensive, but both candidates are raising money phenomenally.

And sure, the party would like to save some of that Democratic cash to fight John McCain in November. But I have to wonder, what's worse for Democrats: A protracted battle that results in a near-tie, with superdelegates carrying the day in Denver (leaving plenty of cash to fight McCain but one camp or the other furious), or a party whose coffers are maybe depleted (though I can't imagine that), but whose supporters know that democracy, though expensive, prevailed.

I'm not sure I can answer that question, but my gut tells me it's the latter.