RI delegation assigned to hotel 26 miles from GOP convention

WPRI.COM

Ted Nesi

Updated: Apr 30, 2012 5:45 PM

Here’s some advice for Rhode Island’s delegates to the Republican National Convention: fill your iPod with plenty of long playlists for the rides back and forth to the hall.

The Rhode Island and Virginia delegates are both assigned to the Marriott Suites on Sand Key, a beachfront hotel in Clearwater Beach, Fla., according to a list released Monday by the RNC Committee on Assignments.

The Marriott Suites is a 26.6-mile drive away from the Tampa Bay Times Forum, where the convention will be held in August, across the Courtney Campbell Causeway bridge. Mitt Romney’s home state delegation from Massachusetts got the best assignment, a hotel next to the Forum, the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The Rhode Island delegation’s location isn’t the most distant. The Florida delegation, which is being punished for holding its primary earlier than party rules allowed, will be housed roughly 30 miles away in Palm Harbor.

The Republican delegates elected last week include Don and Suzanne Carcieri, Scott Avedisian, Allan Fung, John Robitaille,Gio Cicione, Daniel P. Riley and Doreen Costa.

Update: The Rhode Island delegation to the Democratic National Convention will also be a considerable distance away from the hall in Charlotte, N.C., RIPR’s Scott MacKay reports.

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