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Florida Republicans Rolling Eyes at National GOP's Plan To Rig Electoral College

Mitt Romney's loss left Republicans with a lot of soul searching to do. Rather than reevaluating their message, voter outreach or image, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus has endorsed a bizarre plan that would make one of the oddest elements of American democracy -- the Electoral College -- even...
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Mitt Romney's loss left Republicans with a lot of soul searching to do. Rather than reevaluating their message, voter outreach or image, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus has endorsed a bizarre plan that would make one of the oddest elements of American democracy -- the Electoral College -- even odder.

It's telling that even Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford thinks it's a stupid idea.


Most states take a "winner-takes-all" approach to awarding their electoral college votes. Though, Maine and Nebraska award theirs based on who wins congressional districts. Priebus wants all states with Republican-controlled legislatures to adopt that model.

The Huffington Post found that if that model was adopted nationwide, well, what do you know? Mitt Romney would have actually won the 2012 election:

Don't expect Florida to sign on to the plan anytime soon. Republican Speaker Weatherford is having none of it.

"To me, that's like saying in a football game, 'We should have only three quarters, because we were winning after three quarters and the beat us in the fourth,'" Weatherford told The Buzz. "I don't think we need to change the rules of the game, I think we need to get better."

Florida Senate President Don Gaetz is also not on board with the plan.

"I think we should abolish the Electoral College but nobody in Washington has called to ask for my opinion," Gaetz said.

However, some state Republicans are on board. Virginia has introduced a bill that would fit the model.

Note to the national GOP: When the Republican Party of Florida thinks it's a bad idea, it's probably is a really bad idea.

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