Nearly 100 Florida Republicans will head to Cleveland in July to represent the Sunshine State in the 2016 Republican National Convention, which means Republican Party of Florida Chairman Blaise Ingoglia has a full schedule preparing for the final at-large delegate selection happening in Tampa next week.
Sunshine State News asked Ingoglia five questions about the delegate selection process and what will happen on the road to Cleveland.
How do you become a delegate?
“You [fill out a form] and...it has two checkboxes. It asks you how you want to be a delegate. There’s one box for congressional delegates and one for at-large delegates.
[An applicant] can choose just one box or both. You submit that paperwork to [RPOF Executive Director] George Riley and that paperwork gets sent to the congressional district and then they alert the caucus chairman.
"We keep a copy of at-large candidates’ applications, and those delegate applications go to me in consultation with George. We start whittling down that number [of applications] until we get to 15 at-large delegates and 15 at-large alternates."
Are candidates who have already been delegates in previous election years more likely to become delegates in 2016?
“Past delegate selections have no bearing on the delegate selection for this election. Obviously, if you were chosen as a delegate before you probably have a history of helping out the republican party… for example, if you were a delegate in 2012 and 2016, obviously you’re adding to your resume. There’s no preferential treatment this year.”
What happens after a delegate is selected, before they head to Cleveland?
“[Delegates] are going to get an email from the party, letting them know where the hotels are that we are going to be staying at and then alerting them on how they can reserve those rooms at their hotels.
"We will have...a meeting, it could be telephonically, basically, to get a delegation chairman and have people sit on the Rules Committee and the Party Platform Committee. We may not physically be together in the same room, but we can be on the same call.”
Are delegates required to pay their own way to Cleveland, or will the party be paying for their accommodations?
"They are responsible for travel to and from Cleveland.
"Delegates have to pay for their flight and their hotel as well as for any guests of the delegation. The party and the Republican National Committee will then put on events throughout the week. There will be a combination of events they can go to, but there’s a delegate activity fee they will have to pay. Some of the events will be sponsored by sponsors of the convention.
"We provide transportation from the hotel to events and back to the hotel."
What has been one of the most interesting aspects of the delegate selection process so far?
“I was aware of the process as vice chair, but being chair, I guess the big thing for me was to make sure that we were upholding the process and being as transparent as possible.
"In years past the RPOF allocated the delegates differently. In 2012, each congressional district only had 2 delegate spots and 2 alternate spots [with a total of 57 delegates].
“My mantra is ‘Give the power back to the grassroots,’ but I guess one of the things would be that whittling down over 600 applicants to 15 at large and alternates is proving to be tough because a lot of the applicants are hard-working Republicans that have been involved for a long time.”
The Republican National Convention will be held July 18-21.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
