Florida May Face Sanctions Over Moving Primary

Florida Republican leaders want to move up the date of its presidential primary ahead of states that traditionally hold the first primaries, causing a stir, the Tampa Tribune reported Monday.

Some early-state primary Republicans are calling for the party’s national convention to be moved from Tampa to another state because of the proposed change of Florida’s primary to a January date. That would put Florida’s primary ahead of Iowa, New Hampshire and other early states, breaking party rules.

"I would not be averse to pulling the convention if Florida doesn't follow the parameter of the rules," Karen Floyd, party chairman in South Carolina, told the newspaper. “If you can't play by the rules you can't receive the benefit of those rules.”

Other sanction are possible as well.

"There's nothing off the table," Floyd said.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio argues Florida’s primary should be ahead of others since winning the state is critical to picking the Republican presidential candidate.

"No Republican can win the presidency of the United States without winning the state of Florida, so it behooves us to make sure that our nominee is someone that is palatable in Florida," Rubio said.