But state party leadership has
rejected that course, the source said, after a poll of executive
committee members found at least 75 percent support for the early
primary. The source spoke on the condition of anonymity because
executive committee members were still being notified of the state
party's stance.
State party Chairman Karen L. Thurman, members of the
congressional delegation and state legislative leaders scheduled a news
conference for Sunday to announce their position.
"On Jan. 29, 2.5 million Floridians are going to go to
the polls, and that's more telling than any caucus in Iowa," said
Miami-Dade County Democratic Party Chairman Joe Garcia. "We'll be damned
for it by some, but I think we're doing the right thing."
Broward County state committeewoman Diane Glasser, who
also serves as state party first chair, said that she is fine with the
decision, as long as delegates are selected in case they are permitted
to attend the convention in Denver next summer.
"I'm not concerned with the DNC," she said.
Democratic Party rules say states cannot hold their
2008 primary contests before Feb. 5, except for Iowa on Jan. 14, Nevada
on Jan. 19, New Hampshire on Jan. 22 and South Carolina on Jan. 29.
