RNC not supporting Gingrich's quest for Florida delegates

By Cameron Joseph - 02/02/12 11:50 AM ET

The Republican National Committee will not support Newt Gingrich in his quest to add some Florida delegates to his count.

The former Speaker's campaign argued it deserves some delegates out of Florida despite the state party's position that its contest is winner-take-all.

But an RNC memo obtained by The Hill says that is not a possible scenario.

"With regard to proportionality, the RNC does not have the authority to intervene in a state’s primary plans beyond the imposition of the Rule 16 penalties," the memo says, referring to the state's loss of half its delegates for moving its primary up to January. "A contest procedure exists for challenges to a state’s delegation or delegates. The RNC cannot consider any issue regarding Florida’s delegation unless and until a proper contest is brought."

An RNC source said that Florida's plan as submitted in the fall said the state would be winner-take-all, and their plan could not be changed.

Even if there were a way to challenge proportionality in Florida, no one in the state party has shown any interest. Lenny Curry, the state GOP chairman, on Thursday painted Gingrich's campaign as a sore loser for making the argument.

Florida was the first state to award its convention delegates on a winner-take-all basis. Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina all awarded theirs proportionally.

Gingrich's campaign circulated a memo on Wednesday questioning whether Romney won all 50 delegates or whether they should be proportional an "unsettled question which will not be resolved until the Republican convention in Tampa this August."

Former Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, Gingrich's state chairman, reiterated that point on Thursday morning.

"You've got to realize that whoever was going to lose was going to make this challenge," he said on Fox News. McCollum said the challenge would be brought "to contest committee, then on convention floor."

Gingrich has argued his campaign will go to the convention, and this is likely his way as painting the nominating contest as a fight for delegates instead of racking up primary and caucus wins.

It takes 1,144 delegates to win the Republican nomination. Mitt Romney has 71; Gingrich has 23; Rick Santorum has 13; Ron Paul has three; and Jon Huntsman has two, according to a count by The New York Times.

—This post was last updated at 11:36 a.m.