Florida Sen. Bill Nelson is making a new pitch for resolving the Florida Democratic primary dilemma, after an ambitious proposal from the state's Democratic Party chairwoman to hold a do-over ran into stiff opposition.

Nelson said he would like to have the Democratic National Committee seat just half of the state's 185 pledged delegates, something the Republican National Committee imposed as punishment on its side of the aisle.

Nelson pitched the idea to DNC Chairman Howard Dean Thursday.

"I suggested to him, as a way we could settle this thing, is to take away only half the delegates," Nelson recounted. He plans to talk to officials back in his home state about the new proposal.

The new proposal came after Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman presented a mail-in/in person do-over plan to the DNC, admitting it would probably not be approved.

"I have a feeling that this is probably closer to not, than yes," she said of its chances Thursday at a press conference.

Under the plan, all of Florida's 4.1 million Democrats would be mailed a ballot. They could send it back, or cast a ballot in one of 50 regional voting centers that would be set up. The election would end June 3, a week before a DNC deadline to name delegates.

Thurman said in the mailing to the DNC that she would await their response by Monday.

All sides of the issue, though, are scrambling to reach an accord, after the DNC stripped Florida and Michigan of their delegates to the national convention when the two states decided to hold their primaries earlier than DNC rules allowed.

Hillary Clinton won the Florida primary handily, although none of the Democratic candidates campaigned in the state and none of them aired any commercials targeted to its residents. Clinton also won the Michigan primary, although she was the only top-tier Democratic candidate whose name appeared on the ballot there. “Undecided” was the runner-up in Michigan.

Nelson had a lengthy conversation today on and off the Senate floor with both Barack Obama and Clinton.

"Both of them said, 'You have to seat Florida and Michigan.' Now, of course, the devil is in the details," Nelson said.

Though the Nelson plan would still put Clinton at an advantage, Nelson said: "Her advantage in the total number of delegates would be half of what it would otherwise have been ... I'm just trying to keep the process going to avoid the train wreck."

Nelson said there was an advantage to meeting personally with both candidates today, as both showed up for the first time in about a month for Senate business.

"The fact I could look eyeball to eyeball and they could see the intensity, I think they are beginning to understand you can't win without Florida and Michigan," he said, noting a state Democratic Party poll that showed 22 percent of Independents say they are less likely to vote for the Democrat in November unless the delegates are seated.

Nelson said the mail-in re-do is off the table, for sure, unless they put in the security provision Nelson proposed. Like Oregon, which is experienced in mail-in voting, Nelson wants voters to seal their envelopes, sign on the seal, and have Florida election officials verify that signature with the state voter database. There were concerns voiced Thursday by state Republicans about taxpayer money being used for this exercise.

The Florida Democratic House delegation also voiced fresh opposition to the plan Thursday.

"After reviewing the Party’s proposal and individually discussing this idea with state and local leaders and elections experts, we do not believe that this is a realistic option at this time and remain opposed to a mail-in ballot election or any new primary election in Florida of any kind,” the delegation said in a statement, adding it was still “committed” to finding a way to seat the delegation.

FOX News' Trish Turner contributed to this report.