Clinton To Campaign In Florida?

Wed, January 09, 2008 - 11:52 AM

WASHINGTON – Hillary Clinton will put off campaigning in Florida, but is leaving open the door for appearances there in the last days before the state’s Jan. 29 primary.

The New York senator and other Democratic presidential candidates had already pledged to boycott Florida because it moved it primary date up in violation of the Democratic National Party rules. The state also was stripped of its delegates to the national party convention.

“We intend to honor that pledge,” said Clinton campaign communications director Howard Wolfson today.

But Wolfson characterized the pledge as extending “through the 26th,” leaving open the possibility the New York senator could make Florida appearances beginning the weekend before the Tuesday primary.

For Republicans, the delegate prize has been cut in half to 57 by their national party because of the state's primary date also violated GOP rules -- but were not stripped altogether. That means it remains a good deelgate prize in the GOP race, especially because of new state rules that give all those delegates to the winner, instead of dividing them among the top candidates.

There was no immediate comment from the campaigns of Democrats Illinois Sen. Barack Obama or former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards on what the Clinton team was saying.

All the Democratic candidates had pledged to boycott Florida because it moved its primary up to Jan. 29, in violation of the national party schedule. Because of the pledge, they haven’t been campaigning here.

And because because Democratic candidates can’t win any Florida convention delegates, the primary’s importance will be mostly psychological as a momentum booster headed into the so-called Super Tuesday on Feb. 5, when 1,681 Democratic delegates will be decided in a deluge of contests in 22 states.

But after Jan. 26 – when South Carolina holds its primary – there are no other states until Feb. 5 set to hol Democratic primaries, which might be offended by candidatescampaigning in Florida and the party's set schedule.

South Carolina Democratic Party Chairwoman Carol Fowler could not immediately be reached today, for reaction to Wolfson’s comments.

Fresh off of her comeback victory in the New Hampshire primary, Clinton campaign manager Terry McAuliffe, Wolfson, and several of her backers in Congress participated in the conference call with reporters to enthusiastically outlined how she hopes to seize upon her momentum.

They spelled out how she planned compete in every state.

They said that definitely included South Carolina, which holds its primary on Jan. 26.

“This is a delegate race,” emphasized Wolfson.

Also during the call, Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., remarked how important it was for Clinton to compete in states with large Hispanic populations, like Nevada, and said that Clinton enjoys “such great respect” from Hispanics.

But when then pressed if Clinton would campaign in Florida, where she is leading in polls, Wolfson remarked no and said she would abide by the pledges to boycott both Florida and Michigan -- which also has moved it primary up in violation of DNC rules. But then, Wolfson went on to say the Clinton and other candidates have pledged not to campaign in Florida through Jan. 26 -- three days before the state's primary.

-- Billy House