Fla. Dems ask national party to seat presidential delegation

[Terri]

By BRENT KALLESTAD
Associated Press
May 9, 2008

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- Florida's Democratic congressional delegation called on the national party Thursday to seat the state's delegation based on its January primary, and the state party is growing more hopeful that the campaigns will agree on a plan by the end of the month.

The Democratic National Committee stripped Florida's delegates because the state held its Jan. 29 primary earlier than party rules allowed. Hillary Rodham Clinton won 50 percent to Barack Obama's 33 percent.

''These are clear indications that -- just like in other places throughout the country -- Florida voters are tired of Republicans and are demanding a new direction in our country,'' Florida's nine Democratic members of Congress said in a letter to national party chief Howard Dean. ''All of this will be lost, however, if we do not find a solution to this ongoing controversy that fully seats all of Florida's 211 delegates.''

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