Jon Ausman, the Florida Democratic state official who sued his own state in 2007 over its January presidential primary date, has asked the Court to transform his lawsuit into a class action. The class would be composed of all Democratic and Republican registered voters in Florida. The theory is that they are being injured by Florida’s law requiring presidential primaries to be held in January. Both national committees forbid such early presidential primaries, except for a handful of states. In 2008, for a while it seemed that no Florida Democratic delegates would be seated in Denver, and that the Florida Republican delegation would lose half its strength in St. Paul. In the end the national parties relented, but Ausman argues that the problem will recur in the future. See this story. If Ausman wins this case, the outcome will represent a stunning advance in legal rights for political parties.

In 1820, the U.S. Supreme Court issued Loughborough v Blake, 18 U.S. 317. It seems to suggest that the Court believed Congress is free to provide for a voting member for the District of Columbia in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The case concerned whether Congress could tax residents of the District of Columbia. But it also says this: “Although in theory it might be more congenial to the spirit of our institutions to admit a representative from the District, it may be doubted whether, in fact, its interests would be rendered thereby the more secure.” Thanks to Michael Warnken for this. Here is a link to the opinion.