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NH takes a big hit from GOP over Primary
By JOHN DISTASO
Senior Political Reporter
2 hours, 17 minutes ago
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New Hampshire is among five states formally sanctioned by the Republican National Committee yesterday for planning to hold its presidential primary before Feb. 5, 2008, the earliest date allowed by an RNC rule.
Although state GOP Chairman Fergus Cullen said he is unconcerned about sending 12 instead of 24 delegates to the party's national convention in Minneapolis next summer, the move marks the first time the national Republican Party has punished the state for holding fast to its first-in-the-nation tradition. Cullen, who was on yesterday's massive conference call meeting of the RNC, said the vote was 121-9 in favor of sanctioning the five states.
►Gardner willing to wait out Michigan on primary
►NH Republicans shrug off punishment
►Is NH getting a break from the DNC?
Although New Hampshire Secretary of State William Gardner has not yet set the date of the primary, RNC Chairman Mike Duncan noted that it is clear that New Hampshire will hold its primary earlier than Feb. 5. The RNC is also sanctioning Michigan, Florida, Wyoming and South Carolina, which this year also moved earlier than the Feb. 5 date. Iowa, which plans to hold Republican caucuses on Jan. 3, would not be penalized because, technically, the caucuses are not binding on convention delegates. Nevada, which plans to hold its caucuses on Jan. 19, would not be penalized for the same reason.
The rule forbidding any delegate selection contest prior to the first Tuesday in February has been on the RNC's books since being passed by the 2000 national convention. New Hampshire Republicans broke the rule in 2004 -- and was the only state to do so -- but was not sanctioned then.
According to an RNC official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the state escaped sanctions that year because incumbent President George W. Bush ran in an uncontested primary and no other states challenged New Hampshire. The issue "wasn't raised," the official said.
Duncan was asked on a conference call with reporters yesterday whether the RNC is sanctioning New Hampshire this year only because the RNC feels it must be even-handed now that the other four states have moved up. He did not answer the question, saying only that the party's rule and action yesterday was "not meant to pit one state against another."
Yesterday's decision formalized a decision by the national party's executive committee announced by Duncan last month, which prompted harsh criticism by Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H.
Cullen said the move by the national party has been expected and will have no effect on when the New Hampshire GOP holds its primary in accordance with state law.
He said that the state's three members of the RNC, including himself, voted against the sanctions. He did not know where the other six "no" votes came from.
"We reserve the right to challenge this at a later date," said Cullen.
He said he did not speak during yesterday's meeting because "the vote was going to happen regardless of what kind of argument we were going to put up. There will be a time, after the primary, to make the case that the full delegation should be seated, but now was not that time."
Several GOP presidential candidates have said they will be sure that New Hampshire's full delegation is seated at the convention if they are the party's nominee.
Cullen said he understood why the RNC acted as it did.
"The RNC is under considerable pressure from 43 other states that feel they are complying with the rule and that was what was behind the need to do this," he said. "I'm not going to pick a fight with the RNC at this time.
Besides, he noted, the state GOP recognizes that the primary date is set by a state law, which says the primary must be held at least seven days before any "similar election." The state party, he noted, has no control over the date.
Last month, Gregg, an influential Republican on Capitol Hill, pulled out in protest as a host of a state GOP fundraiser that featured Duncan after Duncan announced that the sanctions would be enforced.
Gregg said the Republicans were acting like Democrats by trying to control the primary/caucus calendar from Washington. The Democratic National Committee has attempted to establish a calendar that allows New Hampshire, Iowa, Nevada, and South Carolina to hold contests prior to Feb. 5. But other states have rushed up, most prominently Michigan and Florida, which has prompted sanctions and a pledge by candidates not to campaign or participate in those two states.
For the national Republicans, "The best approach would have been to say nothing on this issue," Gregg said last month. "That would have been the better part of discretion by the leader of the party if he'd been thinking. It doesn't make it easier for us to win next November. It brings into play an issue that it's not necessary for us to have to deal with because the Democrats continue to be the real problem here."
RNC Chairman Duncan said yesterday, "No one wants to be in a position to penalize anyone, but our rules are self-enforcing and they give me no options" other than to enforce the rule.
NH takes a big hit from GOP over Primary
By JOHN DISTASO
Senior Political Reporter
2 hours, 17 minutes ago
Test of 160x600 ad zone
New Hampshire is among five states formally sanctioned by the Republican National Committee yesterday for planning to hold its presidential primary before Feb. 5, 2008, the earliest date allowed by an RNC rule.
Although state GOP Chairman Fergus Cullen said he is unconcerned about sending 12 instead of 24 delegates to the party's national convention in Minneapolis next summer, the move marks the first time the national Republican Party has punished the state for holding fast to its first-in-the-nation tradition. Cullen, who was on yesterday's massive conference call meeting of the RNC, said the vote was 121-9 in favor of sanctioning the five states.
►Gardner willing to wait out Michigan on primary
►NH Republicans shrug off punishment
►Is NH getting a break from the DNC?
Although New Hampshire Secretary of State William Gardner has not yet set the date of the primary, RNC Chairman Mike Duncan noted that it is clear that New Hampshire will hold its primary earlier than Feb. 5. The RNC is also sanctioning Michigan, Florida, Wyoming and South Carolina, which this year also moved earlier than the Feb. 5 date. Iowa, which plans to hold Republican caucuses on Jan. 3, would not be penalized because, technically, the caucuses are not binding on convention delegates. Nevada, which plans to hold its caucuses on Jan. 19, would not be penalized for the same reason.
The rule forbidding any delegate selection contest prior to the first Tuesday in February has been on the RNC's books since being passed by the 2000 national convention. New Hampshire Republicans broke the rule in 2004 -- and was the only state to do so -- but was not sanctioned then.
According to an RNC official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the state escaped sanctions that year because incumbent President George W. Bush ran in an uncontested primary and no other states challenged New Hampshire. The issue "wasn't raised," the official said.
Duncan was asked on a conference call with reporters yesterday whether the RNC is sanctioning New Hampshire this year only because the RNC feels it must be even-handed now that the other four states have moved up. He did not answer the question, saying only that the party's rule and action yesterday was "not meant to pit one state against another."
Yesterday's decision formalized a decision by the national party's executive committee announced by Duncan last month, which prompted harsh criticism by Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H.
Cullen said the move by the national party has been expected and will have no effect on when the New Hampshire GOP holds its primary in accordance with state law.
He said that the state's three members of the RNC, including himself, voted against the sanctions. He did not know where the other six "no" votes came from.
"We reserve the right to challenge this at a later date," said Cullen.
He said he did not speak during yesterday's meeting because "the vote was going to happen regardless of what kind of argument we were going to put up. There will be a time, after the primary, to make the case that the full delegation should be seated, but now was not that time."
Several GOP presidential candidates have said they will be sure that New Hampshire's full delegation is seated at the convention if they are the party's nominee.
Cullen said he understood why the RNC acted as it did.
"The RNC is under considerable pressure from 43 other states that feel they are complying with the rule and that was what was behind the need to do this," he said. "I'm not going to pick a fight with the RNC at this time.
Besides, he noted, the state GOP recognizes that the primary date is set by a state law, which says the primary must be held at least seven days before any "similar election." The state party, he noted, has no control over the date.
Last month, Gregg, an influential Republican on Capitol Hill, pulled out in protest as a host of a state GOP fundraiser that featured Duncan after Duncan announced that the sanctions would be enforced.
Gregg said the Republicans were acting like Democrats by trying to control the primary/caucus calendar from Washington. The Democratic National Committee has attempted to establish a calendar that allows New Hampshire, Iowa, Nevada, and South Carolina to hold contests prior to Feb. 5. But other states have rushed up, most prominently Michigan and Florida, which has prompted sanctions and a pledge by candidates not to campaign or participate in those two states.
For the national Republicans, "The best approach would have been to say nothing on this issue," Gregg said last month. "That would have been the better part of discretion by the leader of the party if he'd been thinking. It doesn't make it easier for us to win next November. It brings into play an issue that it's not necessary for us to have to deal with because the Democrats continue to be the real problem here."
RNC Chairman Duncan said yesterday, "No one wants to be in a position to penalize anyone, but our rules are self-enforcing and they give me no options" other than to enforce the rule.
