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OrlandoSentinel.com

CAMPAIGN 2008 Crist says he's OK with Dem do-over

But a spokeswoman says the statement is not an endorsement, because money is tight.

From staff and wire reports

March 3, 2008

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said Sunday that he would support a repeat of the Democratic presidential primary so the state's delegates can be counted at the party's national convention.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said he's open to the possibility.

Primary elections are paid for by a state's taxpayers, so the offer from Crist, a Republican, is "very helpful" because money is an issue, Dean said on CNN's Late Edition.

Later Sunday, Crist spokeswoman Erin Isaac told the Orlando Sentinel that though the governor supports seating Florida Democratic delegates at the party's convention this summer, he did not commit the state to paying for a redo of the Jan. 29 primary, declared nonbinding by the Democratic National Committee because the early date violated party rules.

"He supports seating the delegates, but he's not saying how it should happen," Isaac said.

The DNC has suggested that Florida Democrats hold caucuses before mid-June that could be used to decide delegates. But such an event would cost about $4 million, with another primary topping even that price tag.

Florida taxpayers paid for the Jan. 29 election, but with the state budget facing cuts because of the weak economy, state officials have said they would not help underwrite a Democratic do-over.

On Saturday, the bulk of Florida's 210 delegates to the national convention in Denver were named, based on the results of the primary, won by New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.

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Would you like to see to see a re-do of the Democratic primary?   If so, would you want the January 29th results to count or would you want to re-do the entire election from start to finish?