Florida Throws Off Nomination Race for Dems

Florida, home of the hanging chad and the butterfly ballot, is causing election-related panic once again, reports The LA Times. Florida Republicans pushed the state's primaries up to January 29, a week earlier than recently changed Democratic rules allow. If the rules aren't amended, delegates for major candidates may actually be barred from the convention.

Candidates would also be disqualified if they campaign in the mischievous Sunshine State.
The penalties were passed  to stop states from leapfrogging each other in a race to be among the first to vote--resulting in contests as early as 2007. (More Florida stories.)