TAMPA, Fla. — Republican leaders hastened Monday to quell an uprising by Texans and Ron Paul supporters that threatened to steal the spotlight from GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney and expose rifts in the party as its nominating convention got under way.
Under a compromise reached late Monday, Romney supporters and GOP leaders agreed to back down from a proposed rule change that effectively would have allowed presidential nominees to choose what delegates represent them at national conventions.
The proposed change was aimed at muting the power of insurgent candidates such as tea party favorite Ron Paul, but prompted an uproar from Texas Republicans, who select their delegates through successive votes in conventions at precincts, then districts and finally statewide.
Butch Davis, a member of the RNC Rules Committee who fought off the proposal, said the existing Texas system often elevates grass-roots activists and party faithful toiling in the trenches, but the proposed change would have instead allowed GOP leaders and presidential candidates to hand-select delegates and reward donors with delegate spots.
“We believe in Texas as a principle that no presidential candidate nor the RNC should be able to tell Texas who can or cannot be a delegate to the national convention,” Davis said.
“This isn't Reagan vs. Ford, Goldwater vs. Rockefeller,” Davis added. “This is George Washington vs. King George.”
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