I have seen almost no discussion here of the recent decision by the Democratic National Committee to replace New Hampshire with South Carolina as the first Presidential primary state in 2024. New Hampshire has a state law requiring it to hold its primary at least a week before any other, and Republicans, who hold both houses of the state legislature, have vowed that they will not change the law, no matter what the DNC may do. Nor has the national Republican Party made any move to displace New Hampshire from its position at the head of the line.
I read a news story this morning — alas, I can’t find it now — speculating that not only might the DNC refuse to seat New Hampshire’s delegates at the convention, but the DNC might go so far as to disqualify delegates pledged to any candidate who participates in a New Hampshire primary not held according to the DNC’s schedule.
Since the legislature and governor just elected will be the ones sitting in 2024, it’s pretty clear the state won’t budge. Will the DNC? New Hampshire only has four electoral votes, far too few to matter to the national party, although if New Hampshire had gone for Gore in 2000, it would have made him President, Florida be damned.
I’m curious to hear what folks here have to say about this.