Oct. 30 (UPI) — Democrats in New Hampshire on Monday launched a write-in campaign to get President Joe Biden’s name on the ballot for the state’s 2024 primary after he declined to add it himself prior the required deadline.
“It’s important to show the world that thousands of New Hampshire voters are supporting President Joe Biden as he stands up for our freedoms, pushes back on the MAGA extremists, keeps us safe and strong around the world, and builds an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top,” the website’s question section reads.
“The stakes couldn’t be higher. It’s time to vote for our President: Write-In Joe Biden in the NH Primary.”
New Hampshire has historically been the first U.S. state to hold a primary in the lead up to a general election.
Biden last week confirmed he would not add his own name to the Granite State’s 2024 primary ballot, which would make him the first sitting president to abstain from the ballot.
New rules enacted by the Democratic National Committee mandate South Carolina be the first official primary contest of the election year, and Biden said he will comply with the party’s guidelines.
A write-in campaign is seen as a method to get around that and still secure the state for the president.
Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips confirmed last Friday he would challenge Biden for the Democratic nomination. Phillips has vocally opposed Biden’s plan to run for a second term when the president will be 82.
“I think President Biden has done a spectacular job for our country but it’s not about the past. This is an election about the future,” Phillips said at the time.
Biden finished fifth in primary voting in New Hampshire in 2020 before winning South Carolina. That victory propelled him to the party’s presidential nomination.
The new party rules were proposed by Biden.
At the time, Democratic party leaders opined they wanted a more diverse state to be the one to hold the first primary contest, creating the logistical issue.
Both of New Hampshire’s Democratic gubernatorial candidates are supporting the write-in initiative, as are all of the party’s state senators.
However, neither the Biden campaign nor the New Hampshire Democratic Party can officially participate in the write-in campaign.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.