Even as the 2024 presidential primary season kicked off over the weekend with the first campaign visit to New Hampshire by former President Donald Trump, the only announced candidate of either party, New Hampshire's historic first-in-the-nation primary status is in limbo.0The national Democratic Party, backed by the White House, is considering changing its approved New Hampshire primary date later in 2024. But Granite State Democrats and Republicans are united in opposition to the move, instead zealously guarding their tradition and spectacle.Going first is also state law – seven days before any other presidential primary in the U.S. (The Iowa caucuses have long been an accepted exception).But President Joe Biden, who placed fifth in New Hampshire and first in South Carolina in the February 2020 primaries, supports a Democratic National Committee plan for 2024 that puts South Carolina first and New Hampshire, along with Nevada, second.“A national political party can set whatever calendar it likes, but New Hampshire will follow its law,” New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan said in an interview at the State House. “Unambiguous. We will follow the law.”A Republican elected in a bipartisan vote by the Republican-led state legislature, Scanlan, has the power to set the primary date.“The presidential primary is a big part of the New Hampshire culture. It is part of our identity,” Scanlan said. “States like Maine are known for their lobster, Vermont is known for its maple sirup, New York is known for the Statue of Liberty. New Hampshire is known for its first in the nation presidential primary. It is very important to us.” High voter turnout, candidates engaging in up close retail politics, and the ability for low budget candidates to compete in a small state are selling points of New Hampshire lore.Getting on the ballot is easy. No petition with signatures required. Pay the $1,000 filing fee, and you’re in; 40 candidates from both major parties made the 2020 ballot.“It gives the little guy an opportunity to realize that fourth grade dream that they can grow up and be President of the United States,” Scanlan said. “The bigger the state, the more media markets there are, the more primaries that you hold on the same day, forces the little guy out of the picture.”Opposing any change is New Hampshire State Senator Lou D’Allesandro, the dean of New Hampshire Democrats and a long-time Biden supporter, who has helped guide many presidential candidates through their primary campaigns.“They believe it gives everybody an opportunity, and there aren't very many places where that happens,” D’Allesandro said in an interview, “New Hampshire has done it over and over and over again and done it so well.”D’Allesandro is one of two dozen leading New Hampshire Democrats who wrote Biden on January 17 warning of a backlash from upending tradition: “We believe that the proposed schedule could wreak havoc on Democrats up and down the ticket in New Hampshire and unnecessarily jeopardize four critical electoral votes in your re-election campaign.”Biden beat Trump 52% to 45% in New Hampshire in November 2020.“It's clear that the President has to know how people here feel,” D’Allesandro said.“Why should he cast New Hampshire aside?” D’Allesandro continued. “I think the allegiance ought to be to the public, the public at large, and giving the best opportunity for the public to express their opinion.” Scanlan and New Hamshire Governor Chris Sununu told WMTW Maine’s Total Coverage the Republican Party, locally and nationally, is on board with keeping New Hampshire first, and the State won’t pay to hold two presidential primaries on separate days.“Joe Biden and the Democrat National Committee attempt to take away the first in the nation primary is absolutely foolish,” Sununu said in an interview. “No state does it as well as we do. We're not sharing the stage with anybody.”Trump told a meeting of New Hampshire Republicans on January 28, "From the very beginning I've strongly defended New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary status. I have been your defender.”Afterwatd, Trump told WMTW affiliate WMUR in an interview, "From the standpoint of tradition and history, it's so important, and I think what the Democrats have done is terrible."In theory, the Democratic Party could punish New Hampshire Democrats for participating in an unauthorized first primary by refusing to seat their delegates at the national convention and downgrading the primary into a “beauty contest.”D’Allesandro said, “We'd have the beauty contest. But by stripping the delegates, what would they what would they be doing? They'd be saying to the people, ‘Avoid the New Hampshire primary. The delegates don't count. It's just a show.’ I think that's bad public policy.”The DNC is expected to consider calendar changes at its next meeting, in Philadelphia, in February.
CONCORD, N.H. -- Jan. 30, 2023 —
Even as the 2024 presidential primary season kicked off over the weekend with the first campaign visit to New Hampshire by former President Donald Trump, the only announced candidate of either party, New Hampshire's historic first-in-the-nation primary status is in limbo.0
The national Democratic Party, backed by the White House, is considering changing its approved New Hampshire primary date later in 2024.
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But Granite State Democrats and Republicans are united in opposition to the move, instead zealously guarding their tradition and spectacle.
Going first is also state law – seven days before any other presidential primary in the U.S. (The Iowa caucuses have long been an accepted exception).
But President Joe Biden, who placed fifth in New Hampshire and first in South Carolina in the February 2020 primaries, supports a Democratic National Committee plan for 2024 that puts South Carolina first and New Hampshire, along with Nevada, second.
“A national political party can set whatever calendar it likes, but New Hampshire will follow its law,” New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan said in an interview at the State House. “Unambiguous. We will follow the law.”
A Republican elected in a bipartisan vote by the Republican-led state legislature, Scanlan, has the power to set the primary date.
“The presidential primary is a big part of the New Hampshire culture. It is part of our identity,” Scanlan said. “States like Maine are known for their lobster, Vermont is known for its maple sirup, New York is known for the Statue of Liberty. New Hampshire is known for its first in the nation presidential primary. It is very important to us.”
New Hampshire Governor vows to hold 2024 presidential primaries first
High voter turnout, candidates engaging in up close retail politics, and the ability for low budget candidates to compete in a small state are selling points of New Hampshire lore.
Getting on the ballot is easy. No petition with signatures required. Pay the $1,000 filing fee, and you’re in; 40 candidates from both major parties made the 2020 ballot.
“It gives the little guy an opportunity to realize that fourth grade dream that they can grow up and be President of the United States,” Scanlan said. “The bigger the state, the more media markets there are, the more primaries that you hold on the same day, forces the little guy out of the picture.”
Opposing any change is New Hampshire State Senator Lou D’Allesandro, the dean of New Hampshire Democrats and a long-time Biden supporter, who has helped guide many presidential candidates through their primary campaigns.
“They believe it gives everybody an opportunity, and there aren't very many places where that happens,” D’Allesandro said in an interview, “New Hampshire has done it over and over and over again and done it so well.”
D’Allesandro is one of two dozen leading New Hampshire Democrats who wrote Biden on January 17 warning of a backlash from upending tradition: “We believe that the proposed schedule could wreak havoc on Democrats up and down the ticket in New Hampshire and unnecessarily jeopardize four critical electoral votes in your re-election campaign.”
Biden beat Trump 52% to 45% in New Hampshire in November 2020.
“It's clear that the President has to know how people here feel,” D’Allesandro said.
“Why should he cast New Hampshire aside?” D’Allesandro continued. “I think the allegiance ought to be to the public, the public at large, and giving the best opportunity for the public to express their opinion.”
New Hampshire looks to history to defend its first in the nation presidential primary
Scanlan and New Hamshire Governor Chris Sununu told WMTW Maine’s Total Coverage the Republican Party, locally and nationally, is on board with keeping New Hampshire first, and the State won’t pay to hold two presidential primaries on separate days.
“Joe Biden and the Democrat National Committee attempt to take away the first in the nation primary is absolutely foolish,” Sununu said in an interview. “No state does it as well as we do. We're not sharing the stage with anybody.”
Trump told a meeting of New Hampshire Republicans on January 28, "From the very beginning I've strongly defended New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary status. I have been your defender.”
Afterwatd, Trump told WMTW affiliate WMUR in an interview, "From the standpoint of tradition and history, it's so important, and I think what the Democrats have done is terrible."
In theory, the Democratic Party could punish New Hampshire Democrats for participating in an unauthorized first primary by refusing to seat their delegates at the national convention and downgrading the primary into a “beauty contest.”
D’Allesandro said, “We'd have the beauty contest. But by stripping the delegates, what would they what would they be doing? They'd be saying to the people, ‘Avoid the New Hampshire primary. The delegates don't count. It's just a show.’ I think that's bad public policy.”
The DNC is expected to consider calendar changes at its next meeting, in Philadelphia, in February.