Martinez defends role during primary fight

U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, new chairman of the Republican National Committee, told the Buzz on Wednesday that he warned the Legislature and Gov. Charlie Crist what the consequences would be for Florida if the state moved its primary up.

Florida officials chose to move it to Jan. 29 anyway -- violating Republican party rules.

"Once I made sure they knew they couldn't come to me and say 'Gee, Mel but you're the chairman'...then that's all I did,'' Martinez said."The party's rules are inflexible but the party also understands that the states are free to do what they will. They just need to know the consequences of what they do."

Martinez predicts other states will want to move up their primaries now too. "It is probably going to be a free for all. For the future we may need to think about how we control the process better and we may need to think about a national primary day or something like that. "

Comments

1/2 delegates = 1/2 contributions

Florida contributors should withhold at least 1/2 their normal contributions to the national parties until they commit to keep Florida whole!

I have told them I will not give a penny to state or national. I will give directly to candidate and then maybe use your suggestion and only give half

Great leadership, Senator Noodle Spine.

This is going to cost him the seat in the US Senate.

Republicans for Alex Sink for Senate!

Martinez will lose anyway, and at least this way we can take back all the cabinet positions!

Assuming she wins re-election of course...

Atwater for CFO!

It’s like I always told you Mel… when they’re done using you… they’re done using you. Cross the Bush Party… err… the Repugnant Party, or any of their lemmings… you’re out.

[Joe]

Federalism at its finest... what a joke!!!

The national party needs to set the primary dates and space them out over 3 months.

[Paul D. Harvill]

Chaos prevails....

[dfwteddy]

We DO have a national primary day, Mel - it's called Election Day! Why are we screwing with all of these primaries anyway, making some states more important and others seemingly inconsequential? Might we shorten the election process, reduce the cost to taxpayers and the amount of money needed to run for elected office, and maybe do something about the influence-peddling of big donors by requiring fewer of them if we eliminate the primaries? We actually have telecommunications systems in place that would allow for one-person/one-vote and don't need the electoral crap that may have been a necessary evil 225 years ago. Let's get on the bandwagon, folks, and have a popular vote for the presidency rather than an electoral vote.