Staff Reports
In a bold move that defies the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) plan, New Hampshire’s Republican Secretary of State David Scanlan has announced that the state will be holding its first-in-the-nation primary on Jan. 23. The DNC, with President Joe Biden’s support, had previously announced a new calendar that pushed back New Hampshire’s primary and Iowa’s caucus in favor of South Carolina. While Iowa caved to the DNC’s pressure, Scanlan made it clear that New Hampshire would not back down, even if Biden’s name is not on the ballot.
New Hampshire defies DNC, keeps first-in-the-nation primary status https://t.co/83I5Ihz5Dx
— Bo Snerdley (@BoSnerdley) November 15, 2023
Scanlan passionately defended New Hampshire’s long-held tradition, declaring, “The elites on a national party committee should not have the power to decide who the voters prefer as the nominee to be president. New Hampshire believes that the voters of each state should have that right, not power brokers in Washington, D.C.” With its primary scheduled for Jan. 23, New Hampshire is ensuring that it complies with state statute while maintaining its traditional position alongside the Iowa caucus.
However, due to the DNC’s rules, Biden’s campaign has already announced that it will not be participating in New Hampshire’s primary. The New Hampshire Democratic Party will instead feature the names of Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota and self-help author Marianne Williamson on the ballot. Nevertheless, a write-in campaign for Biden has already gained traction in the state, with an Emerson College survey revealing that 27% of Democratic primary voters plan to write in his name. Phillips and Williamson received 15% and 10% of support, respectively, with a plurality of 44% remaining undecided.
While Iowa’s Democratic Party has stated that it will still hold its in-person caucus on Jan. 15, it will delay releasing the presidential caucus results until Super Tuesday on March 5. This decision coincides with over a dozen other states holding their nominating contests on that day. Neither Biden’s campaign nor the DNC has responded to requests for comment from the media.
Regardless of the DNC’s attempts to disrupt the traditional primary calendar, New Hampshire remains steadfast in its commitment to giving the voters a say in determining the party’s nominee. It’s a battle between the power brokers in Washington, D.C. and the people in the Granite State, and New Hampshire is not backing down without a fight.
