(LibertySons.org) – A squabble inside the Democratic Party over which state should hold the first presidential primary of the 2024 election campaign has led to an unexpected result. New Hampshire will, as always, be the first state to vote on this year’s Democratic nominee –- but it’s doing so without the party’s approval. And, because of the party’s rules, President Biden’s name won’t be on the ballot papers.
Dems Defy Tradition – And Pay A Price
President Biden has been taking an interest in the order of primaries for November’s presidential election. He’s decided that the primaries should focus on diversity, and Iowa –- which holds the first caucuses –- and New Hampshire are too white for his taste.
At his request, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) decided that the first Democratic primary of the contest will take place in South Carolina on February 3. Nevada and New Hampshire were ordered to hold theirs on February 6.
There’s one problem with this decision, though. New Hampshire is proud of its tradition of holding the first primaries –- so proud that state law actually mandates that it does this. Of course, New Hampshire legislators could have changed the law to allow South Carolina to go first, but the state legislature is controlled by the COP, and, unsurprisingly, they’re not all that interested in changing things to suit Biden.
The legislature refused to drop the requirement to hold the first primary, and the vote will go ahead on January 23. The New Hampshire Democratic Party is siding with the Republicans on this. However, the DNC has ruled that candidates who appear on the ballot won’t be allowed to collect delegates for the national convention.
A Problem For The President
That leaves Biden in an awkward position. The New Hampshire primary is going ahead on its traditional schedule, and it will generate momentum for the winning candidate’s campaign. Biden won’t want to give up that early success –- but if his name goes on the ballot, he’ll be penalized by his own party.
Now, it looks like he’s going for a compromise. His name won’t be on the paper, but he’s sent three Cabinet members to campaign in the state.
Meanwhile, the DNC is proclaiming the primary will be “meaningless,” and New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella has issued a cease-and-desist letter telling them to stop.
Ray Buckley, the chair of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, remarked that in the state, “the DNC is less popular than the New York Yankees.” It’ll be interesting to see if Biden’s unpopular decision to change the date is reflected in his support there.
~Here’s to Our Liberty
Copyright 2024, LibertySons.org
