The Republican Party of Florida's executive board formally voted Saturday to make the state's presidential primary a winner-take-all contest, meaning whoever carries Florida will get 99 delegates to the Republican National Convention.
Party leaders hope the move, made possible by legislation approved this spring, will bring more attention to the state.
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"The road to the White House runs through Florida," party Chairman Blaise Ingoglia said in a statement released after the board approved the change in a closed session. "This now confirms that the road to the Republican nomination for president will run through Florida as well."
Earlier in the day, Ingoglia demurred when asked whether the change could favor U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio or former Gov. Jeb Bush, two Florida figures in the nomination fight.
"I think a winner-take-all favors the person who wins," said Ingoglia, whose party is remaining neutral in the race.
In March, the Legislature unanimously approved moving the 2016 presidential primaries back two weeks, to March 15, so that the party could make the contest winner-take-all without running afoul of national GOP rules.
Democratic Party delegates are awarded proportionally regardless of when a state's primary is held.