The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has approved a new early presidential primary state schedule, marking a significant shake-up in the traditional voting order. In a voice vote held during a winter meeting in Philadelphia on Saturday, the DNC approved the revised schedule, which begins with South Carolina, followed by Nevada and New Hampshire on the same day, and then Georgia and Michigan.
The move was welcomed by DNC Chair Jamie Harrison, who claimed that the new schedule reflects the diversity of the Democratic Party and the nation. The DNC is also looking to expand early voting access in Georgia and New Hampshire. However, the plan has been met with opposition from some Democratic committee members, especially those from states like Iowa and New Hampshire.
The DNC may be splitting at the seams. https://t.co/18fhbh3ENy
— The Western Journal (@WestJournalism) February 4, 2023
Critics argue that the new schedule unfairly penalizes their states and that they cannot comply with the changes in time because they have GOP-controlled legislatures, Republican secretaries of state, and governors. They also claim that the Republicans will weaponize the change against Democrats during the 2024 election.
The new schedule has also been met with criticism from the New Hampshire Republican Party, which has accused President Biden of retaliating against Democrat voters in the state. The party argues that the DNC should listen to what Granite Staters have to say and reject President Biden.
However, some Democrats argue that the changes are long overdue and align with the country’s diversity. They point out that no one state should have a lock on going first and that the early states must reflect the overall diversity of the party and the nation. For example, in a letter to the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee, Joe Biden expressed his desire for the early states to have a more diverse demographic of voters and to include voters from many backgrounds.
The new schedule has been criticized by the New Hampshire Democratic Party, with its chair Ray Buckley calling it a “self-inflicted wound” that will hurt the chances of Democratic candidates in the critical northeastern general election battleground state.
Republican Gov. Chris Sununu declared his state is “going first no matter what” and said if that is not acceptable to Biden, he “will not file for election in the New Hampshire primary, which will still go first.”
The changes to the early presidential primary state schedule have sparked a civil war within the Democratic Party and could potentially damage Biden’s 2024 hopes. Whether the DNC will be able to proceed with its plans despite the opposition remains to be seen.
