By Billy House
Media General News Service
Media General News Service
By Rebecca J. Ducker, Florence Morning News
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WASHINGTON – Hillary Clinton’s campaign Wednesday categorically declared she will not stump in Florida before the state's Jan. 29 primary, after initially seeming to open the door to her appearing there.
The New York senator and other Democratic presidential candidates had already pledged to boycott Florida because it moved its primary date up in violation of the Democratic National Party rules. The state also has been stripped of its delegates to the national party convention.
“We intend to honor that pledge,” said Clinton campaign communications director Howard Wolfson, during a Wednesday morning conference call with reporters. Right now, Clinton holds significant leads among Democratic presidential candidates in polling in Florida.
But then, Wolfson went on to characterize the pledge as extending “through the 26th,” leaving open the possibility the New York senator could make Florida appearances starting the weekend before the Tuesday primary.
That prompted some surprise, but no comment, from the campaign of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.
There also was no comment from the campaign of former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards on what the Clinton team was saying.
But after Wolfson’s remarks were reported, Clinton campaign spokesman Mo Elleithee quickly moved to clarify, explaining that Wolfson had not really intended to say “the 26th.”
“He meant to say the 29th,” said Elleithee, in an e-mail. “We are honoring the pledge and will not campaign in Florida before the primary.”
Elleithee added: “We intend to wage a very spirited and aggressive campaign (in Florida) in the general election.”
But whichever Democrat gets the party's nomination, they could have steep political ground to cover in Florida, which typically plays a key swing-state role in general elections.
While Clinton and other Democrats appear to be still committed to staying away before the state's primary, Republicans are now campaigning all over the Sunshine State.
National GOP rules also were violated by Florida moving its primary date to Jan. 29.
But unlike Democrats, the Republican National Committee did not strip the state of all of its delegates to the GOP national convention. Instead, the Republican delegate prize in Florida has been cut in half to 57 delegates.
That means Florida still remains a key delegate 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.
Democratic candidates can’t win any Florida convention delegates.
Still, some political analyists -- such as Brad Coker of Mason and Dixon Polling and Research -- say winning the Florida Democratic primary carries the potential to be a big psychological and momentum booster headed into the so-called Super Tuesday on Feb. 5, when 1,681 Democratic delegates are decided in a deluge of contests in 22 states.
Between South Carolina’s Jan. 26 primary and Feb. 5, there are no other Democratic primaries.
South Carolina Democrats had been among the most vehement in objecting to Florida’s moving up its primary date.
Carol Fowler, the South Carolina Democratic chair, could not be reached Wednesday on whether she would object to candidates' campaigning in Florida once after the South Carolina primary was over.
The discussions about Clinton’s plans for Florida came during a conference call with reporters that included Clinton campaign manager Terry McAuliffe, Wolfson, and several of Clinton's backers who are in Congress. During the call, the Clinton team enthusiastically outlined how the New York senator hopes to seize upon her momentum coming out of her New Hampshire win on Tuesday.
They spelled out how Clinton 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, 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.
However, Wolfson then went on to say the Clinton and other Democratic candidates have pledged not to campaign in Florida through Jan. 26 – a date three days before the state's primary.
That seemed to leave open the possibility that Clinton was considering busting the Democratic boycott of Florida. That is, until the Clinton team later clarified that Wolfson did not mean to suggest that.
Reach the reporter at Billy House@Mediageneral.com or at 1 (202) 662-7673.
The New York senator and other Democratic presidential candidates had already pledged to boycott Florida because it moved its primary date up in violation of the Democratic National Party rules. The state also has been stripped of its delegates to the national party convention.
“We intend to honor that pledge,” said Clinton campaign communications director Howard Wolfson, during a Wednesday morning conference call with reporters. Right now, Clinton holds significant leads among Democratic presidential candidates in polling in Florida.
But then, Wolfson went on to characterize the pledge as extending “through the 26th,” leaving open the possibility the New York senator could make Florida appearances starting the weekend before the Tuesday primary.
That prompted some surprise, but no comment, from the campaign of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.
There also was no comment from the campaign of former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards on what the Clinton team was saying.
But after Wolfson’s remarks were reported, Clinton campaign spokesman Mo Elleithee quickly moved to clarify, explaining that Wolfson had not really intended to say “the 26th.”
“He meant to say the 29th,” said Elleithee, in an e-mail. “We are honoring the pledge and will not campaign in Florida before the primary.”
Elleithee added: “We intend to wage a very spirited and aggressive campaign (in Florida) in the general election.”
But whichever Democrat gets the party's nomination, they could have steep political ground to cover in Florida, which typically plays a key swing-state role in general elections.
While Clinton and other Democrats appear to be still committed to staying away before the state's primary, Republicans are now campaigning all over the Sunshine State.
National GOP rules also were violated by Florida moving its primary date to Jan. 29.
But unlike Democrats, the Republican National Committee did not strip the state of all of its delegates to the GOP national convention. Instead, the Republican delegate prize in Florida has been cut in half to 57 delegates.
That means Florida still remains a key delegate 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.
Democratic candidates can’t win any Florida convention delegates.
Still, some political analyists -- such as Brad Coker of Mason and Dixon Polling and Research -- say winning the Florida Democratic primary carries the potential to be a big psychological and momentum booster headed into the so-called Super Tuesday on Feb. 5, when 1,681 Democratic delegates are decided in a deluge of contests in 22 states.
Between South Carolina’s Jan. 26 primary and Feb. 5, there are no other Democratic primaries.
South Carolina Democrats had been among the most vehement in objecting to Florida’s moving up its primary date.
Carol Fowler, the South Carolina Democratic chair, could not be reached Wednesday on whether she would object to candidates' campaigning in Florida once after the South Carolina primary was over.
The discussions about Clinton’s plans for Florida came during a conference call with reporters that included Clinton campaign manager Terry McAuliffe, Wolfson, and several of Clinton's backers who are in Congress. During the call, the Clinton team enthusiastically outlined how the New York senator hopes to seize upon her momentum coming out of her New Hampshire win on Tuesday.
They spelled out how Clinton 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, 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.
However, Wolfson then went on to say the Clinton and other Democratic candidates have pledged not to campaign in Florida through Jan. 26 – a date three days before the state's primary.
That seemed to leave open the possibility that Clinton was considering busting the Democratic boycott of Florida. That is, until the Clinton team later clarified that Wolfson did not mean to suggest that.
Reach the reporter at Billy House@Mediageneral.com or at 1 (202) 662-7673.