For almost a year now, as Townhall has covered, Democrats have been in disarray over President Joe Biden and the DNC looking to upend the primary schedule, which means Iowa wouldn't have the first nominating contest with a January caucus, and New Hampshire wouldn't be the first in the nation primary state. Instead, that distinction goes to South Carolina, with Democrats looking to make the schedule about diversity. It also helps that Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn, who was key to Biden winning the Democratic nomination in 2020, is from there. New Hampshire, which has taken issue with the DNC's efforts from the start, made it official on Wednesday with an announcement and a signed notice to voters from Secretary of State David Scanlan that the primary is to take place on January 23.
Primary set for January 23, 2024. Everyone will be here except Joe Biden - who remains AWOL #NHPolitics #FITN https://t.co/4YFjefvAtv
— NHGOP Chairman Chris Ager (@NHGOPChairman) November 15, 2023
It's official! #FITN pic.twitter.com/ohNFLDiQT9
— NH Secretary of State (@NHSecretary) November 15, 2023
The date is ahead of South Carolina's February 3 Democratic primary. In keeping in line with the DNC, Biden will not actually appear on the ballot in New Hampshire, as his campaign announced last month, though his supporters are still launching a write-in campaign. While it just recently became official, there has been chatter about Biden not being on the ballot and even potentially losing New Hampshire and/or Iowa for months now.
It's not merely members of New Hampshire's congressional delegation--all Democrats--that have expressed their displeasure with taking away the Granite State's first in the nation primary status. Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota also voiced his concerns with the dates. Phillips has mounted a primary challenge to Biden, after spending months calling on someone to challenge the president.
As Phillips' post references, the primary date is state law. The New Hampshire Senate unanimously backed a proposal earlier this year to make it part of the state constitution. Phillips also shared a screenshot of coverage from The Hill, taking an issue with the headline "New Hampshire bucks Democrats, announces Jan. 23 primary."
Again, it's specifically Biden and the DNC, especially since Democrats in New Hampshire, and elsewhere, support keeping the first primary in the nation distinction.
I and twenty other Democrats didn’t buck New Hampshire.
— Congressman Dean Phillips 🇺🇸 (@deanbphillips) November 15, 2023
We each brought a thousand dollar check to the State House and placed our names on the presidential ballot.
Because in America, voters should have choices and parties shouldn’t force states to violate their constitutions. pic.twitter.com/BUKv0KEjFZ
Iowa Democrats, however, have caved. "Iowa surrenders, falls back to Super Tuesday for Democrats in 2024," read a headline last month from POLITICO. The caucus won't take place until March 5, and the report noted that "Iowa officials said they will lobby for an earlier nominating contest in 2028." Good luck with that.
Meanwhile, Iowa Republicans will still have the first nominating contest in the country, with the caucus taking place on January 15. The Republican South Carolina primary date is also different, as it will take place on February 24.
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