It is not just the Democrats.
GOP punishes five early voting states
WASHINGTON - Rebelling Republicans in five states will push ahead with early nominating contests, undeterred by party leaders' decision Thursday to punish them by excluding half their convention delegates.
Seeking to restore order to a chaotic primary calendar, GOP Chairman Mike Duncan said New Hampshire, Florida, South Carolina, Michigan and Wyoming would lose delegates to next summer's national convention for violating party rules against holding nominating contests before Feb. 5.
"No one wants to be in a position to penalize anyone, but our rules are self-enforcing," Duncan told reporters. "They give me no options."
Iowa, which plans to hold Republican caucuses on Jan. 3, would not be penalized because, technically, the caucuses are not binding on convention delegates. Nevada, which plans to hold its caucuses on Jan. 19, would not be penalized for the same reason.
The full story can be read at
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071108/ap_on_el_pr/gop_primaries