Date: January 2, 2012
Author: S.V. Date
Topic: New delegate system for the 2012 primary
Source: NPR http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/01/02/144555264/2012-gop-presidential-primary-season-designed-to-slow-emergence-of-winner
There's a reason why this year's Republican nominee is probably going to be chosen much later in the year than in previous Republican primaries. The delegation system has changed! No longer can all states implement a winner-takes-all system. Now, if a state wants to use winner-takes-all, it must hold its primary after April 1st, when the primary cannot have nearly as much of an impact as if it were held in say February. So, this year, come April 1st, only 7% of the delegates will be distributed, as opposed to the 55% that had already been distributed in the 2008 election.
The new system could be beneficial or detrimental to the Republicans. It gives people like Ron Paul and Rick Santorum more of an opportunity to win the race. No longer will there be an inevitable winner early on in the election. However, candidates who ordinarily would have dropped out early on, will have to somehow maintain their funds and remain financially viable candidates. It will be interesting to see how and to what extent the new system impacts the GOP primaries of 2012.
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