The latest, and perhaps best plan short of a re-vote, to seat Michigan's delegates comes from Congressman Bart Stupak. Stupak, an Edwards supporters suggests seating Michigan's delegates partially based on the January 15 vote and partially based on the national popular vote.
Under the Stupak plan, Clinton would receive 47 delegates based on the January 15 vote. Obama would receive 36 delegates, which essentially gives him all of the Uncommitted vote including those voters who would have otherwise supported Edwards. All these delegates would be picked at the Congressional District conventions in April.
The remaining 73 delegates would be split between Clinton and Obama based on the percentage of the popular vote nationwide after all the states vote. Obama currently leads in the popular vote although Clinton could take the lead in the popular vote dependent on strong showings in Pennsylvania, Indiana and Puerto Rico. Regardless, these 73 delegates would be almost evenly split.
In exchange for Obama getting pledged delegates from the January 15 election even though he took his name off the ballot, all of Michigan's automatic superdelegates would be seated (including Stupak).
"The last thing we want to do as Democrats is to disenfranchise voters," Stupak wrote in the letter to DNC Chair Howard Dean. "I have heard from countless Democratic and independent voters who are frustrated and angry to think that their votes are being ignored."
Stupak said in an interview that a redo vote in Michigan was a "dead deal" and he hoped party leaders would support an alternative. He discussed his plan with Clinton and Obama supporters in Michigan. "No one discouraged me," he said.
Since Edwards left the race, Stupak has remained neutral. |
