RNC stiffens rule-breaking penalties

http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/08/rnc-rules-committee-votes-for-tougher-calendar-rulebreaking-132853.html?hp=l3

Via POLITICO's James Hohmann in Tampa:

Trying to prevent Florida from again holding an early primary in 2016, the RNC Rules Committee voted Tuesday to dramatically stiffen penalties for any state that schedules its primary up before the last Tuesday in February.

The measure exempts the four sanctioned “early states” – Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada – who will not be penalized if they need to move up their contests to maintain their favored status.

Florida scheduled a January primary in 2012, even though they lost half of their 100 delegates for breaking a rule to do so.

Under the measure passed by a voice vote here, they would instead get only nine delegates next time.

Representatives from the early states believe this will deter the Sunshine State from again blowing up the calendar, pushing back the start of the primary season.