United States President Joe Biden will not file for New Hampshire's Democratic primary ballot in order to comply with the Democratic National Committee's (DNC) delegate selection rules.
The decision was announced to the state party by the Democratic president's campaign manager in a letter. South Carolina, not New Hampshire, will be the first state to hold an approved Democratic primary under a Biden-backed plan that the DNC approved earlier this year.
Joe Biden on New Hampshire Primary Ballot
New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan already said that his state will hold the first-in-the-nation primary even though a date has not yet been set. This would make it non-compliant with the new DNC calendar. It could cost the state's Democrats party delegates to the national convention next summer.
In a letter to New Hampshire Democratic Chairman Ray Buckley, campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said that Biden is also looking to participate in the Granite State primary. However, she noted that he must first comply with national party rules, as per CNN.
If Biden decides to campaign in such an early contest in New Hampshire or have his name on the ballot, it would be a violation. In a statement, Chavez Rodriguez said that the Democratic president is incredibly grateful for the support that Granite Staters have shown for him both as a candidate for office and as the leader of the nation.
On Tuesday, Buckley responded by saying that the reality is that Biden will win the New Hampshire First-in-the-Nation Primary scheduled for January. He added that the president will then win renomination in Chicago and will be re-elected next November. Buckley said that New Hampshire voters know and trust the president.
New Hampshire's presidential candidate filing deadline is on Friday and Republican presidential contenders have been traveling to the State Capitol to file in person and submit the required $1,000 filing fee.
There are many potential Biden primary challengers, including Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips, who still has time to file their candidacies. Chavez Rodriguez said that the president was looking forward to having his name on New Hampshire's general election ballot as the nominee of the Democratic Party after officially securing the nomination at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, according to CBS News.
Changing the Calendar
On the other hand, Republicans are not making any major changes to their schedule as opposed to what the Democratic Party is doing. The new calendar will have New Hampshire and Nevada hold primaries three days later than before and Iowa will entirely lose its early state position.
President Biden and supporters of the new calendar have argued that the new change will empower minority voters. These are people who Democrats have long relied on but have at times taken for granted.
Top Democrats in the Granite State are expected to lead a write-in campaign for the president in the primary. However, the president's decision to skip putting his name on the primary ballot could lead to a protest vote in the state.
Despite Biden being the commanding front-runner for his party's nomination, polls suggest that he has faced plenty of concerns from colleagues over his age and physical and mental condition, said Fox News.
