Andy Sullivan: The Texas "primary" is not really a primary

[Renew Deal]

126 of the 193 delegates will be chosen at the district level, but differently than in other states where they’ve been allocated based on Congressional district: they’ll be chosen based on totals in 31 state senate districts by caucuses in more than 18,000 precincts. The remaining 67 pledged delegates will be chosen by statewide primary vote.

So the Texas primary gives only a delegate catch of 67 delegates, less than, say, Minnesota.

On the same date, in the evening, precinct caucuses will be held across the state and to participate one has to have voted in the primary earlier in the day. That is where the big prize of 126 delegates will be chosen.

That scenario favors a campaign that spends the resources and has the volunteers to wage a ground game on 18,000 fronts.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/02/texas---march-4.html

[joshcryer]

1. Hmm, wait, Texas is 1/2 Winner Take All? That's very interesting.

[Renew Deal]

2. It doesn't say that.

Did I miss something?

[joshcryer]

6. I thought that's what you said.

"The remaining 67 pledged delegates will be chosen by statewide primary vote."

Sorry if I misunderstood.

[NJSecularist]

3. It doesn't say anything about winner take all

[K Gardner]

4. Say whaaaat???

[Meshuga]

5. Time is on Obama's side.

Yes it is. :-)

[THUNDER HANDS]

7. so it's 1/3 primary and 2/3 caucus?

[Renew Deal]

8. But you can only caucus if you vote in the primary.

:banghead:

[THUNDER HANDS]

11. hey, it's Texas

.

[bidenista]

9. andrew sullivan sure seems popular with team obama

Interesting, because he's a hardcore Thatcherite who's backing Ron Paul.

[thevoiceofreason]

10. Come back at 7

Vote on the paltform and pick your candidate. Then choose the delegates to the state senate convention. From there, we pick delegates to the state convention. Etc.

[Renew Deal]

12. How many people are lost in the process?

Doesn't it require an incredible level of organization?

[NoPasaran]

13. Andrew Sullivan is mixed up

Texas will send a total of 228 delegates to the Democratic National Convention. 126 delegates will be assigned based on primary results in 31 State Senate Districts (instead of allocating delegates by its 32 Congressional Districts like many states). The number of delegates in each Senate district varies based on previous Democratic turnout in the last two general elections. The delegates from each Senate District are assigned to candidates proportionally based on the percentages they receive on primary day.

Of the remaining 102 delegates, 67 are determined through a convention process that begins at precinct conventions (caucuses) on the night of March 4 and culminates with delegate allocation based on each candidate's delegate strength at the State Convention on June 6-8. Of those 67 delegates, 42 are "at large" rank and file delegates and 25 are pledged party leaders, legislators, and local elected officials.

The remaing 35 delegates are "unpledged" delegates, including 32 so-called "superdelegates" who are DNC Members, Members of Congress, a former House Speaker and a former DNC Chair. Three other delegate slots are reserved for highly-honored state Democrats, such as respected former officholders.

126 Senatorial District Level Delegates allocated by primary results.
42 At-Large Delegates and 25 Pledged Party Leaders, Democratic Mayors and Legislators, all allocated by the presidential preference of delegates attending the State convention (with a 15 percent threshold).
32 Super Delegates made up of Members of Congress, Members of the DNC, past House Speakers and former DNC Chairs.
3 Unpledged Delegates (Add-Ons) elected through a three-tier, post-primary convention process.
http://www.lonestarproject.net/TXPrimary.html#DELEGATE

The "big prize", the 126 delegates, are tied to the primary vote results in our state senate districts (we have 31), not the congressional districts that most other states use. And they are awarded proportionally there.

The precinct caucuses will send delegates chosen by proportion of presidential preference to the county or district conventions later in March, and there each precinct again caucuses and chooses delegates to send to the state convention. Finally in June the entire SD caucuses at the state convention and elects the national delegates.