Florida in talks for 5th primary spot (Politico)

With a week to go before the Republican National Committee?s Oct. 1 deadline for states to schedule their primaries or caucuses, South Carolina officials are in conversations with the other early states who are working together to prevent others from leapfrogging them on the calendar ? and is working to help Florida go fifth in picking a presidential nominee.

South Carolina GOP chairman Chad Connelly has the exclusive authority to set South Carolina?s GOP primary date. After announcing that his state won?t share its spot on the calendar with Arizona ? which set off the calendar upheaval by moving its primary to Feb. 28, the same date that South Carolina is currently scheduled for ? or any other state, Connelly is looking to put the state?s vote on a Saturday earlier in February, South Carolina GOP spokesman Matt Moore said. That would keep the state ahead of Arizona while still complying with RNC rules.

Continue Reading

And Nevada Republicans have formally tethered the Silver State caucus to New Hampshire?s first-in-the-nation primary, whenever that ends up taking place.

The early states are planning to announce new, earlier dates just before the deadline to keep other states from having time to move ahead of them. But in a new development, with Florida looking to move up its own primary again, Connelly is among those negotiating a deal aimed at moving up the Sunshine State?s vote, preserving South Carolina?s first-in-the-South status and keeping all the voting as far after New Year?s as possible.

?Given Florida?s stature, it was important to communicate with them as well,? Moore explained.

That could have its own complications: Gov. Rick Scott said Saturday on Fox News that he doesn?t want to share a primary spot, either.

?I believe the date will be some time in February,? Scott said. ?We want our own date.?

South Carolina appears to be on board with that plan.

?We expect Florida to be fifth in the process,? Moore said. ?We hope the other states follow the RNC rule. That?s the goal in all of this ? to make sure the primary calendar is not compressed.?

That goal is increasingly fleeting.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/politico_rss/rss_politico_mostpop/http___www_politico_com_news_stories0911_64374_html/43051864/SIG=11mm3dpks/*http%3A//www.politico.com/news/stories/0911/64374.html

aesop alyson hannigan dirt 3 la fitness bayer diamond university of maryland