New Hampshire Democrats buck DNC, say state will still hold first 2028 primary
New Hampshire Democrats are protesting the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) decision to designate South Carolina as the first state to hold primary elections for the 2028 presidential race, in line with the DNC’s recent vote. The DNC prioritized South carolina due to its large Black voting population, moving the primary date to January 22, 2028, ahead of Nevada and New Hampshire, which are scheduled for later in February. Despite these changes, New Hampshire law mandates its primary must be held at least one week before any other state. The new Hampshire democratic Party chairman,Ray Buckley,criticized the DNC’s decision,stating it disregards the state’s laws and its proven,fair primary process. Previous attempts by the DNC to prioritize South Carolina over New Hampshire in 2024 were defied by New Hampshire, with Joe Biden winning the primary as a write-in candidate. DNC officials expressed hope that new Hampshire would comply with the new rules, but indicated they might address non-compliance as they have in the past.Buckley also criticized the move as detracting focus from upcoming 2026 elections and the party’s broader goals of winning general elections.
New Hampshire Democrats are defying the Democratic National Committee‘s plans for South Carolina and vowing to hold the party’s first 2028 presidential primaries in accordance with their state’s law.
The DNC held a vote on Friday and anointed South Carolina as the state where the party will hold its first presidential primaries of the 2028 election season. The move did not sit well with Democrats in New Hampshire, where state law says they must hold their presidential primaries at least one week ahead of any other state in the union.
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New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley released a statement bashing the DNC’s vote, saying “party insiders have learned nothing from 2024.” He said the vote would not change the fact that New Hampshire legally has to hold the first primary.
“New Hampshire has a proven track record of testing our candidates with a rigorous, fair, and efficient process, yet those qualities did not prevail,” Buckley said. “This committee’s vote does not change the realities governing New Hampshire’s primary, which are beyond the control of both this committee and our state party.”
Twenty-six members of a 49-person panel of DNC leaders voted to give South Carolina the first primary, citing the reason as state’s large population of black voters. Nineteen members chose Nevada, and just four chose New Hampshire. The DNC announced Friday that South Carolina’s primary would be held on Jan. 22, 2028; Nevada’s on Feb. 1, 2028; and New Hampshire’s on Feb. 8, 2028.
However, the DNC voted to give South Carolina the first primary in 2024 as well, but New Hampshire bucked the party’s wishes and held their primary first anyway. Former President Joe Biden still won New Hampshire’s primary, but as a write-in candidate, as he refused to campaign in the state or be placed on the primary ballot.
DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee co-Chairman Jim Roosevelt told reporters that it is the national committee’s “hope that the New Hampshire legislature and governor will see that every other state has found a way to work with the other 49 states and seven territories to produce a state-run process that complies with party rules.”
“We hope that New Hampshire will do that, but if not, we will find a way to deal with it as we have in the past,” Roosevelt said.
DNC Chairman Ken Martin also spoke to the New Hampshire Democratic Party chairman’s comments on Friday.
“I certainly understand from the chairman’s point. I mean, he’s got a lot to consider right now, and so my hope is that New Hampshire is still represented in this process, which is why they replaced third in this calendar,” Martin said.
DNC PANEL ADVANCES SOUTH CAROLINA AS FIRST STATE IN THE 2028 PRIMARY CALENDAR
Buckley also said in his statement that the DNC’s Friday vote “moves the party further” from the focus on the 2026 elections.
“Democrats’ guiding North Star should be winning general elections, and New Hampshire Democrats will get back to work focusing on the 2026 elections and addressing the significant challenges facing America’s overwhelmed working class. Today’s vote moves the party further away from that objective,” Buckley said.
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