Republican
The "Grand Old Party" or GOP, as the Republican Party is sometimes called, worked at revising its primary process in 2016. It shortened the primary season a bit, with the first primary held Feb. 1 in Iowa. (In 2012 the Iowa primary had been held already in early January.) The main reason for stipulating delegate representation remain proportional until mid-March was because the number of delegates available in primaries held before then was heavier. By requiring states to hold off on awarding all delegates to a winning candidate till later in March, it would allow viable competitors to stay in the race longer.