Presidential candidates won't attend Florida straw poll

Florida's Democratic Party was snubbed by all nine presidential candidates Tuesday when they signed a letter saying they will not participate in a straw ballot at the state party convention in December.

It was bruising news for Florida Democrats, who fear the Democratic nominee will be selected before the state's March 9 primary, effectively leaving Florida with no voice in the selection.

Many of the 3,000 delegates who will be attending the state convention were counting on the excitement that comes from a non-binding straw ballot to give them that voice and to stoke national interest in the convention


http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/auto/epaper/editions/today/news_f379f4fd602462060085.html

I am posting this because of conflicting reports I have seen.....


Dean is already campaigning for the straw ballot. His team sent e-mails to Florida voters instructing them how to sign up as delegates to the Orlando convention. Edwards told a Florida party leader he sees the straw ballot as a critical opportunity to show strength in the South. Many of Clark's advisers are veteran campaign workers for Bill Clinton, who broke out of the pack in late 1991 by winning the straw ballot at that year's Florida convention.

Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts first said he would boycott the convention if it included a straw ballot. Now, Maddox says, Kerry advisers "are open" to attending despite the imbroglio and have begun asking about how to secure meeting rooms.

Rep. Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri and Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut are in discussions with Maddox about attending.


http://www.cq.com/corp/show.do?page=crawford/crawford_current


So my question is, why not have the straw polls, who would benefit, who would suffer, what happens to those that show up and to those that don't?

at our county DLC meeting. If they're not going to have the straw poll, I see no sense in attending myself. Screw 'em. Why spend $500 bucks or so to hear a bunch of local candidates talk. I can do that here.

What is a straw poll, what purpose does it serve and why all the fuss about it?

If there is a straw poll, delegates to the convention (which is in December) will vote on who they are, at that moment, supporting.

It won't have any binding significance at all (of course, neither do the Iowa caucuses). It won't have any effect on Florida's primary vote, which will be on March 9.

There is a fuss, because it will be press. Lots of press. Florida's straw poll helped both Carter and Clinton get momentum and the outcome will be reported like a harbinger of how the candidates will do in the upcoming primaries.

The DNC doesn't want it because it might throw a wrench into things relative to what they want the outcome to be, and, it will force the candidates to spend time and money in Florida competing for delegates to the convention. Even though it is not binding at all, candidates are afraid of the bad press and the implications for the primaries(e.g., "________ loses Florida straw poll!")

Many Floridians want it because it will force the candidates to spend time and money here. What's so special about Iowa anyway? It will also make a lot more people attend our convention, which will be good for us.

Of course there should be a straw poll. If none of the candidates show up, the Florida party should support Bob Graham in the primary as a favorite son.

Iowa and New Hampshire have WAY to much clout (and I say that as a born Hawkeye). States like Colorado have almost no impact. It just doesn't seem right.

I think primaries should be grouped by main region. The smaller, less populous regions should go first. So the midwest agri-belt should be all grouped together. The southeast, the northeast, the industrial midwest, and the west coast.

The week before each primary, candidates could hold a debate to answer questions on issues related to the region.

It just makes more sense than having Iowa and New Hampshire have such a major impact to me.

Florida ain't that important anyway..;-)

this is just a big game of chicken.

The candidates were pressured by the DNC to show that they made a good faith effort to avoid a straw poll. They did that by signing. Florida will have a straw poll anyway (most likely) and they'll come anyway.

He won the Michigan primary in 2000 because the DNC was encouraging Democrats to vote for McCain.