Opinion ID: 426247
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Six (6) delegates at large from each of the fifty (50) states.

Text: 21 2. Three (3) district delegates from the district of each Representative in the United States House of Representatives from each state. 22 In addition, Florida will receive nineteen bonus delegates, for a total of eighty-two. 18 Thus the Republican National Committee, 19 which is not a party to this lawsuit, and the National Rules, which are not at issue in this lawsuit, require three district delegates from each district. But Wymbs maintains that National Rule 30 merely provides an option which the state party has selected. A careful reading of the National Rules and the relevant Florida law belies this claim. National Rule 31(f) does state that [a]ll delegates from any state may be chosen from the state at large, in the event that the laws of the state in which the election occurs, so provide. Florida law, however, does not so provide. 20 Moreover, an at-large, statewide selection under National Rule 31(f) would not change the National Rule 30 requirement that three delegates come from each district. The contest for the congressional district delegate seats is simply moved from the district level to the state as a whole. 21 As the Republican National Committee stated in its amicus brief: 23 For some time Republican National Conventions have chosen to incorporate by reference certain relevant provisions of state law in their rules, but, in the absence of state law provisions, [and Florida has none], the rules require that the three congressional district delegates be selected by the voters (or voter representatives) of the districts and not in at-large statewide elections or conventions. In any event, the congressional district delegates must be residents of and qualified voters in the districts they represent. 24 Brief of amicus curiae Republican National Committee at 4.