Deal Close for Mail-in Florida Revote

DNC chair leaves mail-ins up to states

(NEWSER) - Michigan and Florida senators appeared closer today to approving mail-in re-votes for their disqualified primaries, the Swamp blog reports. DNC chair Howard Dean said he also supported the mail-ins if state leaders can agree with Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on how to run them. “I have to run these rules so that the losing side feels it’s been treated fairly,” he said on “This Week with George Stephanopolous.” More»

Nelson wants party to pay; Dean says 'not our problem'

(NEWSER) - With the nomination race tied up, eyes are turning to Florida and Michigan’s delegates, and top Democrats are mixing it up over funding for a primary re-do, the Hill reports. US Sen. Bill Nelson, a Hillary Clinton supporter, has urged the DNC to accept the results or pony up $20 million, warning that denying the delegates will be the “biggest train wreck you’ve ever seen.” More»

New poll shows Mitt at 38%, Newt at 29%

(NEWSER) - Mitt Romney is on a roll: After an impressive debate performance last night, he's No. 1 in Florida in a new poll. The Quinnipiac Poll has Romney with 38%, followed by Newt Gingrich with 29%, Ron Paul with 14%, and Rick Santorum with 12%. That's quite a difference from the last survey, released Wednesday, which showed Romney and Gingrich practically tied, the New York Times reports. Other recent polls had Gingrich in the lead. More»

Up in the polls, Rubio gets party blessing

(NEWSER) - The Republican Party is making a none-too-subtle push to get onetime golden boy Charlie Crist out of Florida's Senate race. “We believe there is zero chance Gov. Crist continues running in the Republican primary,” says the executive director of the National Republican Senate Committee. The group once tried to push Marco Rubio aside for Crist, but that was before Rubio opened a 20-point lead in the polls, reports the Miami Herald . More»

Perry and KBH face off; Tea Party mounts challenge in Fla.

(NEWSER) - The 2010 primaries will see the GOP repairing its identity and soul-searching among Democrats. The 10 most important races, according to Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post :

1. Texas governor, R: Rick Perry is running for an unprecedented third term, and voters seem to approve. But Kay Bailey Hutchison is a popular, crafty, and well-funded opponent.
2. Florida Senate, R: The looming battle between Gov. Charlie Crist and former state House Speaker Marco Rubio is being closely watched as a bellwether of the rift between GOP moderates and the insurgent Tea Party movement.