As this state’s Jan. 29 Florida primary draws nears, this much — despite months-long, Cassandra-like warnings to the contrary — seems evident. Yes, our Florida primary votes will matter and, no, no Florida voter will be “disenfranchised.”
Big, momentum-assuring lifts await the primary winners of the nation’s pre-eminent swing state, one that is a demographic microcosm of the United States. And don’t be surprised if the infuriating “boycott” gets parsed even more this month. Florida is that important.
As to the seating of delegates, does anyone actually expect the conventions to determine the nominees? Not even those nostalgic for smoke-filled-room cabals think so.
Thus, the nominees will be known beforehand and will come to the conventions for their coronations. And they will have the most clout when it comes to making sure that all delegates are seated in Denver (Democrats) and Minneapolis (Republicans).
It’s called self-interest, something that political candidates with an eye toward the general election are well schooled in.