Polk Democratic Delegates in Limbo

LAKELAND | Four Polk County delegates to the Democratic Presidential Convention still don't know whether they will be seated and their votes counted in selecting their party's nominee.

County party Chairwoman Nancy Simmons, who is not a delegate but who deals with the state party on almost a daily basis, said she fears voter anger over the Democratic National Committee's punishment of Florida at the convention could cost the party a win in Florida on Nov. 4.

Simmons says she has received numerous calls from registered Democrats who are "furious" that not all the delegates will count, and therefore their votes from the primary won't count.

"I sent them to the DNC, which told them the national party had offered to pay for a second primary. That's not true and I have sent the national party a letter." Simmons said.

"The DNC offered to pay $800,000 of the $6 million to $8 million bill."

The national party at first refused to allow any delegates to be seated or counted at the convention because Florida broke party rules by holding its primary too early on Jan. 29.

Now the DNC is hinting that Florida and Michigan, which also held its primary early, might get some delegate votes, but maybe not all.

In Florida the Republican Party was punished by its national headquarters, too, for holding the early primary, but their delegation was simply cut in half, while the national Democrats took away all Florida delegates.

Now, while GOP nominee-in-waiting, Sen. John McCain, says he wants all Republican delegates counted, the Democrats are toying with letting half of Florida's delegates count.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton won the Florida Democratic Primary by a wide margin.

The state party refused a DNC offer to let the votes of a possible second primary count.

Instead, the state's congressional districts chose their delegates to the convention based on the January primary vote, just as they did when the primary was later in the year.

POLK'S DELEGATES IN WAITING

In the 12th Congressional District, which includes most of Polk County south of Interstate 4, Susan M. Bentley of Lakeland and John T. Conner of Lake Wales are the delegates pledged to Clinton.

Wanda Howard of Lake Wales is pledged to Sen. Barack Obama, and Lakeland City Commissioner Justin Troller is the delegate pledged to Sen. John Edwards. Edwards received enough votes to be awarded delegates before dropping out, leaving the battle to Clinton and Obama.

Unlike the Republican Party, which largely holds winner-take-all primaries, Democrats split and balance and refine their delegates so that there is the right mix of male and female delegates.

Also, every candidate with more than 15 percent of the vote in a particular congressional district is assured of a delegate.

Like other Florida Democratic Party delegates, the delegates from Polk have already booked flights for the Denver convention, Aug. 25-28, despite not knowing who will be seated, whether they will vote or even where they will stay.

The decision on just how many delegates, if any, will be allowed to vote at the convention will be decided by the DNC credentials committee May 31.

In the meantime, Clinton and Obama representatives are trying to work out a compromise.

VOTERS WANT DELEGATES COUNTED

Bentley, a Clinton delegate who will be attending her third Democratic convention, said all of Florida's 200-plus delegates should be counted.

"Florida was an even playing field with everyone on the ballot," Bentley said. "No one was allowed to campaign here, so there was no advantage for any particular candidate when the primary was held. It is nonsense not to count all the Florida delegates.

"I am committed to Hillary. She has well-thought-out plans (for her administration) and she still has a chance, but I think we are blessed with two really bright candidates."

Asked whether she thinks Obama will allow all the delegate votes in Florida to be counted, Bentley replied, "Why shouldn't he? It is a democracy. It is pretty basic; every vote should count and if not it politicizes the process. I think they should be counted and I think he should insist that they be counted."

Howard, the Obama delegate, could not be reached for comment after repeated attempts.

FLIRTING WITH A LOSS IN FLORIDA

Troller was more adamant about the need for Obama and the Democratic National Committee to let the delegates from the two punished states be counted.

"If Florida and Michigan are not counted, the Democratic Party cannot win the presidency in November, and that blame will rest solely with (DNC Executive Director) Howard Dean, who is responsible for this mess. Some (registered Democrats) will stay home and some will cross party lines to vote (for McCain) out of spite," he said.

Troller said Edwards has not yet released his delegates who are pledged through the first ballot to vote for him. He would not say how he would vote when released.

Conner, the second Clinton delegate, was out of state and could not be reached for comment.

Simmons, who agreed that the national party's attitude toward Florida delegates could hurt the November vote in the state, said what she is most frustrated and concerned about is the national party, after creating the problem, has shown no intention of cleaning it up for future primaries.

"I don't see anyone attempting to change the process for 2012. (Former U.S. Sen.) Bob Graham early on suggested regional primaries, alternating which region goes first," she said. "But there has been nothing done to make certain we won't have these problems and disenfranchisement within our own party in the next presidential election year."

[ Ledger Political Editor Bill Rufty can be reached at 802-7523 or bill.rufty@theledger.com. ]