The Democratic National Committee (DNC) passed a new primary calendar for the 2024 presidential nomination process (approved by President Biden) which makes South Carolina the first state on the primary calendar (February 3, 2024), followed by New Hampshire and Nevada three days later.
The Republican Governor of New Hampshire Chris Sununu is rejecting the plan which takes away the state’s FITN (first-in-the-nation) primary status.
The Democratic National Committee Rules & Bylaws Committee recently voted to extend the deadline for New Hampshire to comply with its 2024 presidential nomination process, which requires New Hampshire to change its law if it wants to keep its No. 2 spot in the primary lineup. (Since 1979, New Hampshire has had a state law in the books about being the first primary in the nation.)
Even if every New Hampshire Democrat wanted to comply to the DNC’s requests — supporters of the new primary calendar say it better represents minority voters — Sununu has made it clear that the state “will not comply” with the DNC’s presidential primary plan.
New Hampshire will not comply with the arbitrary demands and deadlines coming from @JoeBiden and the @DNC.
— Chris Sununu (@GovChrisSununu) September 14, 2023
We will not back down.
New Hampshire will be going first whether Joe Biden likes it or not. https://t.co/qp4ISXYFvY
Governor Sununu wrote: “New Hampshire will not comply with the arbitrary demands and deadlines coming from Joe Biden and the DNC. We will not back down. New Hampshire will be going first whether Joe Biden likes it or not.“
The DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee’s second extension for New Hampshire — which expires on October 14, 2023 — allows the state to avoid penalties, for now.
If the law is not changed and the New Hampshire primary is held ahead of South Carolina, Biden may omit his name from the ballot in New Hampshire, in protest of its failure to comply with party rules. Even without his name on the ballot, Granite State polling shows Democrats in New Hampshire will likely hand Mr. Biden a win as a write-in candidate.
