Eagerly awaiting the results of tomorrow’s GOP nominating contests in Missouri, Colorado and Minnesota?
On the eve of the trio of races, the Republican National Committee sent out a memo reminding reporters that no delegates actually will be awarded in Tuesday’s presidential caucuses in Minnesota and Colorado or in Missouri’s nonbinding presidential primary.
Writes RNC Communications Director Sean Spicer:
Colorado is a non-binding precinct caucus. Their 36 delegates will be chosen at district conventions held between March 31 – April 13, 2012, and at the state convention on April 14, 2012.
Minnesota is a non-binding precinct caucus. Their 40 delegates will be chosen at district conventions held between April 14 – 21, 2012, and at a state convention on May 5, 2012. Delegates are not bound unless the state convention passes a resolution to bind the delegates.
Missouri will hold a primary tomorrow that is not recognized as being a part of any delegate allocation or selection process.
A precinct caucus will be held on 3/17/2012 to begin the process of choosing their 52 delegates which will be chosen at district conventions on April 21, 2012, and a state convention on June 2, 2012. Candidates for delegate must state a presidential preference at the time of nomination and will be bound to support that candidate for one ballot at the national convention.
Of course, it’s worth noting that Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses Jan. 3 were nonbinding, as well — but that didn’t mean the results weren’t of consequence in the broader race for the nomination.
The delegate count stands at 73 for former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (R), 29 for former House speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), eight for U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex.) and three for former U.S. senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), according to the RNC. Thirty delegates are unbound: 28 from Iowa and two who had been won by former Utah governor Jon Huntsman in New Hampshire.
