Documented shenanigans in Michigan - sigh - Iowa, Maine, Michigan ...

[NightHawkeye]

ABC News: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politic...-delegate-rules-gives-primary-edge-to-romney/

Michigan GOP Changes Delegate Rules, Gives Primary Edge to Romney

The Michigan Republican Party voted to break a delegate tie Wednesday night, awarding 16 delegates to Mitt Romney and 14 to Rick Santorum.

The decision, which broke a 15-15 tie that would have resulted under the pre-primary interpretation of the rules, caused disbelief at Rick Santorum’s campaign. A spokesman rejected the decision.

Even Romney supporters in the Michigan GOP said the decision was unfair to Santorum.

“I have this crazy idea that you follow the rules,” said former Attorney General Mike Cox said after a 4-2 vote by a Michigan GOP credentialing committee, according to the AP. “I’d love to give the at-large delegates to Mitt Romney, but our rules provide for strict apportionment.”
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The Santorum campaign had this to say:

Santorum’s campaign accused Romney’s campaign of trying to rig the results.

“There’s just no way this is happening,” Santorum communications director Hogan Gidley said in an email statement to press after the Michigan GOP’s announcement. “We never thought the Romney campaign would try to rig the outcome of an election by changing the rules after the vote. This kind of backroom dealing political thug-ery [sic] just doesn’t happen in America.”
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Kinda looks like the establishment GOP just hates to lose. Gotta wonder if this will translate into a large sympathy vote for Santorum ... on Super Tuesday.

 

[Blayz]

Yeah, you really can't trust the republicans to play fair, even amongst themselves. Good point, NH.

 

[Maren]

Not quite sure how Santorum can blame this on Romney, much less why it should effect the results of Super Tuesday. Though your article doesn't mention it, Cox (the Romney supporter quoted) is on the Rules Committee and voted against giving the two delegates to Romney saying, "“I was a Romney surrogate. I’m firmly on his team, but a rule’s a rule,” Cox said Thursday."

I also find it ironic that Santorum wants to claim victory because he came close to beating Romney in his "home state", a state Romney has not lived in for over forty years. The ironic part is that Santorum couldn't even get on the ballot in the state he was born in and has lived in for the last decade. Romney did a lot better in his "home state" than Santorum is doing in his.