Florida Superdelegates “don’t exist” - not yet

We spoke with the communications director of the Florida Democratic Party, Mark Bubriski, about the current situation with delegates to the Democratic convention late this summer.

Mr. Bubriski says that while the delegate situation is up in the air, DNC Chairman Howard Dean assures him that the delegates from Florida will be seated. He says they are still in negotiations over how the delegates will be apportioned.

Florida held it’s primary on January 29 - too early according to the rules of the parties. The Republicans stripped Florida of half its delegates. The Democrats took them all - and prohibited the candidates from campaigning in the state.

Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) won the primary with almost 50% of the votes. Senator Barak Obama (D-Il) finished second with almost 33%, although he got more votes in Duval County than any other candidate, Democrat or Republican.

Senator Clinton has quite understandably been lobbying for Florida’s delegates to be seated, while Senator Obama has generally been opposed to seating them, at least as they now would be distributed.

The Democrats also have superdelegates. They are mostly elected officials who are free to vote for whatever candidate they wish. When asked if Florida’s superdelegates would be seated, even if the elected delegates are not, Mr. Bubriski said the superdelegates “don’t exist” yet. The entire matter of delegate apportionment must be worked out first.

Jacksonville Representative Corrine Brown would be a superdelegate and is a Clinton supporter. She blames Dean for the controversy. She says if she is not seated, she will show up at the convention anyway and lead a march around the convention center in protest.

Singing “We Shall Overcome?” The Democrats won’t like that.

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