Lawmakers to discuss Fla., Mich. delegate situation

Lawmakers from Florida and Michigan are trying to resolve an impasse over their delegates in the Democratic nominating contest now that Tuesday night’s election results have given them renewed importance.

The congressional delegation from the two states scheduled a meeting for Wednesday night at the Capitol to discuss their options.

{mosads}With the path not yet clear for the nomination of either Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) or Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), the lawmakers are trying to resolve a bitter dispute with the Democratic National Committee, which stripped the states from seating delegates at the party’s convention for moving up their primary dates.

Because of the violation, both candidates agreed not to campaign in those states, but Clinton has made a push for those delegates since she won both primaries. Some have floated the idea of redoing the primaries, but such a move would be complicated and costly.

Such a “do-over” is “not easy,” said Clinton supporter Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.). “People seem to think you can wave a magic wand.

“There were those out there hoping the string would run out,” Hastings said. “It became more complicated [Tuesday].”

Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), who is uncommitted in the race, said he was unsure what a “practical alternative” would be to resolving the dispute — other than the convention’s protocols or having the two candidates sit down and agree on a way to count the two states’ delegates.