The New 2012 Republican Primary Rules
In August 2010 the republican party adopted new “proportional representation” primary rules to give candidates the state delegates on a “proportional basis” instead of on a “winner-take-all” basis. With the new rules, state delegates are awarded to multiple candidates instead of just to the winner of each state. So it’s less important who wins each state instead of how many delegates each candidate picks up in each state (except for Florida, which remains a “winner-take-all” state).
The rule changes make it more difficult for one candidate to wrap up the nominee early on as John “McLame” did in 2008. He benefited by the former “winner-take-all” rules and wrapped up the nomination early in the primary season. However, if the newly adopted rules were used in 2008, “McLame” would not have been the republican candidate; Mitt Romney would have been the candidate with an 8-delegate win.
If no candidate has won more than 50 percent of the delegates by the republican convention held the week of August 27, 2012, the convention becomes a “brokered convention” where all previously pledged state delegates would be “released” and able to switch their allegiance to a different candidate of choice in an effort to determine a clear majority for one candidate by a convention vote.
State delegates from high to low state:
http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P12/R-Del.phtml?sort=t
2012 Republican Primary Schedule:
http://www.2012presidentialelectionnews.com/2012-republican-primary-schedule/
Publius Prime 
Politicians are for themselves, not the American people. Don’t vote!
awesome this will definitely favor Newt theConservComebackKid over MassModerateMittensMcCain! and when the populist indee/Conserv majority weighs in down the line – the weasel establishment will be able to fall in line behind Newt w/ their “pride” intact 🙂 thx for the info!
Yep, good info. Did not know. I don’t like how the primaries are strung out across several months. Early voting states unfairly influence later voting states. There ought to be a super primary day, all state primaries on the same day at the same time!