August 29, 2008

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- The Republican National Committee is
making it's penalties stick against South Carolina, New Hampshire,
Florida and Michigan for holding primaries earlier than rules
allowed.
RNC credentials committee member and South Carolina state Rep.
Alan Clemmons said Friday that those states all lost half their
delegates by holding primaries too early. That cut the size of
delegations and influence those states have in picking the GOP
nominee.
South Carolina and New Hampshire have held the nation's earliest
primaries for years. But other states scrambled to get into the
national spotlight.
The GOP's rules committee is expected to vote Monday on a plan
that leaves those two states at the top of the primary schedule.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press