President Biden decided not to run in New Hampshire after the Democratic National Committee overhauled the party’s primary calendar. There are efforts underway for a write-in campaign.
SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
President Biden’s decision to not run in this Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary and New Hampshire’s commitment to honor the state law that requires it to vote first has shaped, maybe even warped, the 2024 Democratic primary there. It’s also prompted some Democrats to mount a write-in campaign on the president’s behalf, something that hasn’t been seen in decades. Josh Rogers of New Hampshire Public Radio reports.
JOSH ROGERS, BYLINE: There are moments when this Democratic primary can feel almost normal, like when Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey visited Democrats in Concord for a pre-primary pep talk. Her message was straightforward – run up the vote total for Joe Biden.
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MAURA HEALEY: Let’s have an overwhelming showing like never seen before and let that send a signal across the country because people pay attention to New Hampshire.
ROGERS: But President Biden himself isn’t paying attention. He declined to even put his name on the ballot here when New Hampshire refused to follow the DNC calendar he proposed that puts South Carolina at the head of the 2024 Democratic nominating queue. That move was a gut punch to Democrats here. It also created an opening for Democrats, mounting long shot challenges to Biden.
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DEAN PHILLIPS: Joe Biden should have been right here with us today.
MARIANNE WILLIAMSON: I agree with that.
PHILLIPS: He is taking the Granite State for granted.
ROGERS: That was Minnesota Congressman Dean Phillips and author Marianne Williamson debating in Manchester, but the barbs on this front aren’t all heading the president’s way. The DNC wrote to Democrats here this month to stress the January 23 primary is, quote, “meaningless” as far as…
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