I'm sure this will be seen as a good news/bad news scenario for more pugnacious Paulites hoping for a rip-roaring floor fight at the Republican National Convention in Tampa next week, but the delegate fights I've been blogging about here for a long time, seem to be resolved, gaining Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) more dedicated delegates on the floor in Tampa than seemed likely just yesterday:
The deal, which is expected to be announced Tuesday afternoon, will seat more Paul delegates at next week's Republican National Convention, an act that could help prevent an organized effort by Paul supporters to try and bring Monday's opening session to a grinding halt….
"This is a major step towards peace and good will on the convention floor," said a Paul source familiar with the negotiations….
The RNC has agreed to seat 17 Ron Paul delegates from Louisiana, which has been a major point of contention between the Paul campaign and the Romney campaign. In addition, the RNC will also seat additional Paul delegates from Massachusetts, ending the controversy in that state.
Associated Press had more, later, treating the Louisiana deal as done, with Massachusetts close and Maine still in the air:
The Texas congressman will get 17 of the Louisiana's 46 delegates in the compromise, said Charlie Davis, who served as Paul's campaign chairman in Louisiana. The rest of the state's delegates are expected to support Mitt Romney, the party's presumptive nominee.
A Republican National Committee official confirmed the agreement. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, was not authorized to publicly discuss the negotiations…..
"I think it's a huge win for our campaign because it showed what happened in Louisiana was wrong," Davis said by phone from Tampa. "It's been a long uphill battle, but the overwhelming evidence was on our side."
Supporters for Paul and Romney also have disputes over delegates in Massachusetts and Maine. Jesse Benton, Paul's chief campaign strategist, said Paul's supporters were close to reaching an agreement on divvying up the delegates from Massachusetts.
"Maine is still unsettled, but talks are continuing and the conversation remains respectful," Benton said in an email.
Early word from the more hardcore and rootin-tootin Paul forces on the 'Net is that such compromises won't necessarily keep them pacified on the floor, and certainly won't mean they'll become good soldier Romney voters. It is at the very least politically expedient and intelligent of the GOP powers to not continue deliberately poking sticks of disrespect at Paul's forces.
