No repeat Florida vote in Democratic race

Plans for a new contest to help find a winner in the close race for the Democratic presidential nomination have been scrapped because of a lack of support, the state party chairwoman said today.

Florida was stripped of its 210 delegates by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) after it broke party rules by holding its election too early in the primary season.

Chairwoman Karen Thurman said the Sunshine State does not want to vote again “so we won’t”.

In a letter, Ms Thurman wrote: “The consensus is clear: Florida doesn’t want to vote again. So we won’t.

“A party-run primary or caucus has been ruled out, and it’s simply not possible for the state to hold another election, even if the Party were to pay for it.”

She went on: “We researched every potential alternative process – from caucuses to county conventions to mail-in elections – but no plan could come anywhere close to being viable in Florida.”

Hillary Clinton won the January 29 contest, and more than 1.7 million people voted in the state, but neither the former first lady nor her rival Barack Obama campaigned in the run-up.

Michigan, which was also stripped of its 156 delegates for the same reason, is continuing to consider plans for a second contest, possibly on June 3.

Michigan legislative leaders have reviewed a measure that would set up a privately funded, state-administered “do-over” primary.