Mich. to lose GOP delegates

National party takes half of representatives from five states for holding contests before Feb. 5.

Gordon Trowbridge / Detroit News Washington Bureau

National Republican officials said Monday they will penalize Michigan and four other states for holding presidential nominating contests earlier than GOP rules allow by docking the states half of their delegates to next year's Republican National Convention.

The announcement had been expected; GOP officials have suggested for weeks that the states would be penalized for holding contests before Feb. 5, the earliest date allowed under party rules.

It is unlikely to affect Michigan Republicans' decision to hold the Jan. 15 primary as well. State officials knew the penalty was likely, and state Republicans are nearly unanimous in their belief that, when the convention begins, all the state's delegates will be seated by the party's presidential nominee, making the penalties moot.

Michigan GOP Chairman Saul Anuzis issued a statement dismissing the decision's significance.

"I am confident that all of Michigan's 60 national delegates will be seated next year in Minneapolis," Anuzis said in the statement. "Michigan Republicans remain committed to holding (their) presidential primary on January 15, 2008."

Florida GOP Chairman Jim Greer agreed: "While we disagree with the Republican National Committee's recommendation to sanction the state of Florida, at the end of the day this is a disagreement among friends and we recognize that we are all working towards a common goal -- re-electing a Republican president in 2008."

Anuzis disputed GOP national chairman Mike Duncan's description of the vote by the Republican National Committee's executive committee as unanimous, because Anuzis and Michigan representative Chuck Yob abstained from the vote.

Even if the 30 delegates are lost, Michigan officials have said it's a penalty worth paying for an early chance to influence the presidential campaign.

Michigan, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida and Wyoming are the states facing penalties. Duncan announced the sanctions, saying each state had been notified by letter on Monday that it is out of compliance with party rules. South Carolina is considering legal action in an effort to keep its delegates.

Duncan made a point of contrasting the GOP rules and penalties with the situation in the Democratic Party. Democrats decided for 2008 to allow four states -- Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina -- to hold contests before Feb. 5. But Michigan and Florida have crashed the January window. Florida already has been told it will lose all of its Democratic delegates if it sticks with its Jan. 29 primary, and Michigan Democrats face similar penalties if they vote on Jan. 15. The four approved early states pressured Democratic candidates into boycotting Michigan and Florida, and four Democratic candidates have removed their names from the Michigan ballot.

"We're not saying 'Don't campaign in Florida,' and we're not saying 'We're going to take all your delegates away,'  " Duncan said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. You can reach Gordon Trowbridge at (202) 662-8738 or gtrowbridge@detnews.com.