Supporters of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush helped orchestrate a change in the scheduling of the state's winner-take-all presidential primary settling on March 15, the
National Journal reported.
That date is the first available in keeping with Republican National Committee rules for a primary in which all of a state's delegates go to the winner rather than being divided proportionally.
"We have always been consistent that the date that we wanted to choose would be the one that would highlight the importance of Florida on the national landscape," said Florida GOP Chairman Blaise Ingoglia, the Journal reported.
February's Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada primaries, collectively, put 133 delegates at stake. The winner of Florida's primary will walk away — in one fell swoop — with 99 delegates.
Bush, who has significant support within the state's Republican establishment, will likely be competing with Florida's other favorite son, Sen. Marco Rubio. Some party figures have urged Rubio not to run this time around,
The New York Times reported.
The junior senator, though, is counting on reaching Florida in a comparatively strong position. He also hopes for the sustained financial backing of deep-pocketed Miami auto dealer Norman Braman.
A winner-take-all victory by either Bush or Rubio "would put a great deal of momentum back in anybody's sails, but especially a guy like Jeb Bush," said strategist Brian Ballard, a Bush backer.
Veteran Republican strategist Ed Rollins said that Bush needs to do well before Florida.
"He's got to get a win or two, or at least a good place, before he gets to Florida. He's got to show he's not a single-state candidate," the Journal reported.
Besides Bush and Rubio, Dr. Ben Carson and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee also call Florida home, according to the Times.
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