Rep. Ron Paul's
delegates are trying to mount a floor fight over new GOP rules designed
to limit the ability of insurgent presidential candidates to amass
delegates to future Republican conventions.
They
are getting help from other delegates, though it is unclear whether
they can rally enough support to challenge the rules on the floor of the
convention Tuesday.
Mitt Romney, the party's
presumptive nominee, has plenty of delegates to win any floor fight. But
the dispute could provide an unwanted distraction for party leaders who
would rather focus on promoting Romney and defeating President Barack
Obama.
"It's so heavily scripted. This is not
the forum in they want to air the proverbial dirty laundry," said
Juliette Jordal, a Paul delegate from Minnesota.
The
new GOP rules would bind delegates to the outcome of presidential
primaries and caucuses, allowing candidates to choose which delegates
would represent them at future national conventions. Currently, state
parties choose national delegates, usually at state and congressional
district conventions.
The new rules would also
make it more difficult for insurgent candidates to get their names
placed in nomination at the convention. This year, candidates need a
plurality of delegates from five states to get their name placed in
nomination, a threshold Paul did not reach. The new rules would require
support from eight states.
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