Republican Rules on the 2012 Presidential Nominating Process
On August 6, 2010 at its summer meeting in Kansas City, the Republican National Committee adopted a rules change which will have a major impact on the timing of 2012 presidential primaries and caucuses.  The rules change was developed over the course of more than a year by a special 15-member Temporary Delegate Selection Committee which according to a press release was "formed to review the timing of the election, selection, allocation, or binding of delegate and alternate delegates to the Republican National Convention."
PRESS RELEASE from the Republican National Committee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  August 6, 2010
CONTACT: Press Office                                                                 
 
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE APPROVES 2012 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATING PROCESS
 
WASHINGTON – The Republican National Committee (RNC) approved the Temporary Delegate Selection Committee’s proposed amendment to Rule No. 15(b) amending the 2012 presidential nominating process.
 
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele praised the adoption of the new amendment. “The decision by more than two-thirds of the Committee will put our presidential nominating process on the right track and ensure that we emerge from the primaries with the strongest Republican nominee possible to defeat Barack Obama,” said Chairman Steele.
 
Revised Rule No. 15(b) as Amended by the Temporary Delegate Selection Committee Proposal
 
Rule No. 15: Election, Selection, Allocation, or Binding of Delegates and Alternate Delegates
 
(b) Timing.
 
(1) No primary, caucus, or convention to elect, select, allocate, or bind delegates to the national convention shall occur prior to the first Tuesday in March in the year in which a national convention is held.  Except Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada may begin their processes at any time on or after February 1 in the year in which a national convention is held and shall not be subject to the provisions of paragraph (b)(2) of this rule.
 
(2) Any presidential primary, caucus, convention, or other meeting held for the purpose of selecting delegates to the national convention which occurs prior to the first day of April in the year in which the national convention is held, shall provide for the allocation of delegates on a proportional basis.
 
(3) If the Democratic National Committee fails to adhere to a presidential primary schedule with the dates set forth in Rule 15(b)(1) of these Rules (February 1 and first Tuesday in March), then Rule 15(b) shall revert to the Rules as adopted by the 2008 Republican National Convention.
 
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PRESS RELEASE from Republican Party of Iowa

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, August 6, 2010
Contact: Danielle Plogmann

New RNC Rules Keep Iowa First
Exemption slates Iowa caucuses February 2012

KANSAS CITY – Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn announced that the Republican National Committee (RNC) today adopted new rules that recognize and protect Iowa's First-in-the-Nation presidential caucus. The vote came during the RNC’s summer meeting in Kansas City.

Under the rules adopted today, Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada may hold their delegate preference events in February 2012. Any remaining state that holds their primary or caucus in March must allocate their delegates proportionally. The new rules offer an incentive for states to wait until April, so they can award delegates in a winner-take-all system.

Strawn said, “The new rules recognize Iowa’s unique and traditional ‘First-in-the-Nation’ status in the presidential selection process. Presidential candidates have long asked for some stability in the nominating process, and the rule enacted today provides that stability. Also, this allows Iowa to hold its caucuses in February, instead of right after the holidays. That makes it easier for candidates, their volunteers, and voters.”

Strawn noted the new rule is designed to avoid the push for a so-called national primary day and encouraging candidates to travel to more states during the presidential primary process.

The Democratic National Committee is working on a similar plan, to be finalized at their meeting later this month.

Strawn and Iowa's other two members of the RNC, Kim Lehman and Steve Scheffler, also thanked former Iowa GOP Chairman Brian Kennedy, who was a member of the temporary RNC committee charged with drafting the recently adopted rules.

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PRESS RELEASE from South Carolina Republican Party

South Carolina’s First in the South Primary status preserved

Kansas City, MO – August 6, 2010 – South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Karen Floyd today announced that South Carolina will retain its unique status as the nation’s First in the South Republican Presidential Primary, with a new rule passed by the Republican National Committee.

The date of the primary will likely be set in late February of 2012, after the Iowa and New Hampshire contests. All other states are encouraged by the new rule to have their contests in April, but can go in March so long as they award their delegates on a proportional basis.

The new rule has the effect of elongating the primary process, giving more states an opportunity to impact the nominating process.

However, if any states other than Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada choose to circumvent the process and go earlier than March, the state Party holds – and will use – its “trump card,” the ability to set its own primary date without having to get legislative approval.

During the RNC meeting in Kansas City, Chairman Floyd and the South Carolina delegation worked with the delegations of other early states to ensure no changes were made to adversely impact South Carolina’s role in the presidential nomination process.

“South Carolina voters are eager to do their part in choosing a new Republican president to reverse the destructive path of spending and debt that the Obama Administration and its lieutenants like Nancy Pelosi and John Spratt have put our country on,” Floyd said. “We remain committed to doing whatever is necessary to preserve our unique place in that process. We have a remarkable track record in putting forward a nominee to carry the Republican banner, and as Chairman I am committed to doing whatever is needed to preserve that role and that legacy.”

Since South Carolina’s First in the South Presidential Primary was begun in 1980, no Republican has been nominated for the presidency without first winning South Carolina. The event and the campaigning leading up to the vote are also an enormous economic boon to the state.

Floyd pointed to a number of benefits to holding the presidential preference primary in South Carolina. South Carolina’s geographic area makes it possible for candidates to attend multiple forums and meet as many voters as possible. Also, the relatively low cost of running a statewide campaign in South Carolina allows candidates to save crucial resources for the real fight in November.


see also May 11 release from SCGOP
About the Temporary Delegate Selection Committee
The Temporary Delegate Selection Committee was created as a result of Rule 10(d) of the Republican National Committee Rules adopted in 2008:

(d)  There shall be a temporary committee to review the timing of the election, selection, allocation, or binding of delegate and alternate delegates pursuant to Rule No. 15(b) of these rules to the 2012 Republican National Convention.  The Temporary Delegate Selection Committee shall be composed of fifteen (15) members, which shall include one (1) member of the Republican National Committee from each of the four (4) regions described in Rule No. 5, elected by the members of the Republican National Committee from each region at the 2009 Republican National Committee Winter Meeting; further, the chairman of the Republican National Committee will appoint three (3) additional members of the Republican National Committee and six (6) Republicans who are not members of the Republican National Committee.  The chairman and general counsel of the Republican National Committee shall serve as ex-officio voting members.  The chairman of the Republican National Committee shall convene the Temporary Delegate Selection Committee as soon as practicable after the 2009 Republican National Committee Winter Meeting.  The Temporary Delegate Selection Committee shall make any recommendations it deems appropriate concerning additions to Rule No. 15(b) of these rules, provided that such additions shall preserve the provisions of Rule No. 15(b) adopted by the 2008 Republican National Convention, which shall be voted upon without amendment by the Republican National Committee at the 2010 Republican National Committee Summer Meeting and which shall require a two-thirds (2/3) vote to be adopted.  Any action adopted would take effect sixty (60) days after passage.  The Temporary Delegate Selection Committee shall disband following the 2010 Republican National Committee Summer Meeting.

Temporary Delegate Selection Committee
ex-officio voting members
Chairman Michael Steele
General Counsel Reince Priebus

Members of the RNC from each of the four regions (elected at the RNC Winter Meeting held Jan. 27-30, 2009 in Washington, DC)
NE - David Norcross (NJ)
S - John Ryder (TN)
MW- Pete Ricketts (NE)
W- Fredi Simpson (WA)

Steele appointments (announced May 22, 2009)
National Committeeman Bob Bennett (OH)
National Committeeman Steve King (WI)
National Committeeman Paul Senft (FL)
former Maryland Secretary of State Mary Kane
former Michigan Republican Party Chairman Saul Anuzis
former Office of Personnel Management Director Kay James
former Iowa Republican Party Chairman Brian Kennedy
former White House Spanish media spokesperson Mercy Schlapp
former New Hampshire Attorney General Tom Rath


Note:
Here is the old Rule 15(b), in effect for 2008:
(b) Timing.
No primary, caucus, or convention to elect, select, allocate, or bind delegates to the national convention shall occur prior to the first Tuesday in February in the year in which a national convention is held.  Except New Hampshire and South Carolina may begin their processes at any time on or after the third Tuesday in January in the year in which a national convention is held.