The executive board of the Republican Party of Florida voted 35-1 Friday to change its qualifying requirements to allow presidential candidates on the Presidential Preference Primary ballot next year, in a move many are calling a crumbling to criticisms over banning candidates from the primary ballot.
Under the new rule, candidates seeking to appear on March's presidential preference primary ballot can qualify using one of three options: they can either show up at the party’s fall gathering, pay a fee, or file a petition and gather signatures to qualify for the ballot.
“The rule being considered by the executive board is the result of the grassroots’ concern that candidates are focusing on Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina while overlooking the key primary and general election state of Florida,” RPOF spokesman Wadi Gaitan told Sunshine State News. “The approval of this rule would benefit and empower our grassroots by making Florida a must-visit primary state for the election.”
The Sunshine Summit is scheduled in the middle of November in Orlando and will focus on the presidential hopefuls. Unlike past “Presidency” events held by the RPOF, there will not be a straw poll.
Initially, party chair Blaise Ingoglia wanted to require candidates to attend the summit in November -- if the candidates didn’t show up, they wouldn’t get put on the ballot. But Ingoglia’s proposal was met with fierce criticisms that the party was essentially blackmailing candidates. Some called the requirement “troubling” and “dumb.”
Florida is one of the few states across the country that didn’t have qualifying rules before Friday. In states like South Carolina, the qualifying fee for candidates is $40,000. In Virginia, candidates have to get 800 signed petitions in each of the state’s congressional districts, submitting them in sealed plastic containers.
Now, candidates have a few different options to qualify in the Sunshine State, one of the most important states in the presidential election.
They can either show up in Orlando for the summit, pay a $25,000 qualifying fee or get the signatures of at least 3,375 registered Republican voters, including at least 125 registered Republican voters from each of Florida’s 27 congressional districts.
No other qualifying methods will be considered.
“Passing this new rule by an overwhelming majority shows that the Republican Party remains committed to the task at hand, delivering our 29 electoral votes to the Republican nominee," said Chair Ingoglia.
“Republicans from all walks of life and all persuasions can come together and unite behind efforts that will empower Florida voters and motivate the grassroots for the primary and general election in what is one of the most influential swing states in the nation,” said Peter Feaman, RPOF national committeeman and RPOF executive board member.
The party’s November summit will be a larger affair than usual, with around 2,500 Republicans expected to attend. RPOF executive director Brad Herold said the party anticipates at least eight to 10 candidates will show up at the summit, even with the new qualifying rules, but the names of the attendees have not yet been released.
Reach Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com
