Dan Gelber calls for a re-vote

In a post on his new blog, House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber is pitching an interesting way out of his party's deadlock over the nomination: a mail-in election, pitting Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama against each other, in which both Democrats and independents could participate.

Currently, the two candidates are slogging it out, state by state, with neither in reach of the 2,025 delegates needed to claim the nomination. Clinton has been calling for her victories in Florida and Michigan to count toward her delegate total, but the national party stripped the states of their delegates for violating early-primary rules.

Clinton's camp may initially dismiss the idea because it gives Obama a chance to win a state she already won on Jan. 29. But her calls that the vote should count may not get anywhere, and a Florida do-over would give her a chance to overtake Obama, who currently hold a narrow lead in delegates.

For Obama, who has dismissed the state's delegate-less vote as meaningless, the election provides an opportunity for him to woo Florida Democrats.

And for Democrats looking ahead to November, where independent voters will undoubtedly play a decisive role, Gelber's idea of including independents is a potential party-building tool.

Gelber's neutrality in the race gives him credibility, though critics of the proposal will note that he voted for the bill that moved up state's presidential primary and got the Democrats into this mess in the first place. 

Read all about his proposal here.

Comments

And who would pay the million dollar price tag? Taxpayers? This would only be fairif the democratic party payed the FULL cost of the election.

[Karl Marx Rove]

Don't be silly. The folks are already expressing their views. It's called a primary.

The Florida Demcratic Party should endorse this, and go one further. FDP or some other entity should raise donations to conduct a national, direct mail straw ballot to each registered Dem and independent. This would enable nearly universal participation without caucus lines, weather, etc. Report the results for each state - and challenge the legitimacy of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina's and Neveda's results when the broader participation differs from the initial results. Would serve them right. Could guide super delegates too!

[Nancy A Frank]

A "Re-vote" including independents is ridiculous. Florida only allows registered democrats to vote in the democratic primary. The state election rules do not allow independents to participate. I know this because I changed my party from independent to democrat so I could vote in the democratic primary. To change the election rules now to favor a particular candidate is simply wrong. I am disgusted that anyone would actualy believe a do over vote is fair, honest, and moral. It is simple, 1.7 million people voted in Florida and made their choice. Lets support Barack Obama's wish to "RESPECT THE WISHES OF THE VOTERS".

[Scott Marks]

The Obama and Clinton campaigns should volunteer to split the cost of the vote. It must be Democrats only, to conform to state election rules, as noted. And as a benefit, Florida voters will have a real chance to influence the outcome of the nomination race!