DNC ousts Iowa and New Hampshire as the lead primary states in major 2024 election shake-up aimed at boosting black vote and benefitting Biden : South Carolina will now take the first spot

  • South Carolina will now start the ballot for Democrats, with Michigan and Georgia following in the early stages after Biden recommended the change
  • DNC endorsed Biden's proposal at its winter meeting in Philadelphia Saturday
  • States with early contests have a major influence in determining the nominee

The Democratic Party ousted Iowa and New Hampshire as the lead states in a major shake-up of its 2024 presidential primary aimed at boosting the black vote and benefiting Joe Biden's expected bid for a second term.

At its annual meeting in Philadelphia, the Democratic National Committee approved a new primary calendar - backed by Biden - that will see South Carolina hold its 2024 presidential primary first on Feb. 3, followed by Nevada and New Hampshire on Feb. 6, Georgia on Feb. 13 and then Michigan on Feb. 27. 

The new system, Democrats argue, gives better positioning to states whose demographics better reflect the base of the Democratic Party. It also ends decades of political tradition.

'The Democratic Party looks like America and so does this proposal,' said Democraticy Party Chairman Jaime Harrison ahead of the vote, adding it 'elevates the backbone of our party.'

But it also benefits Biden, who, in the 2020 primary, came in fifth in New Hampshire. His victory in South Carolina - thanks to black voters who flocked to his side after he was endorsed by influential black Rep. Jim Clyburn - saved his presidential bid and put him on the path to winning the nomination.  

Biden has not formally announced his re-election but is expected to do so in the new few months. He has given signals he intends to seek a second term. 

The new calendar faces challenges, however, and is not guaranted  to be ultimately enacted as designed. 

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris stand on stage with DNC chair Jaime Harrison at the Democratic National Committee winter meeting on Friday

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris stand on stage with DNC chair Jaime Harrison at the Democratic National Committee winter meeting on Friday

Republicans have no intention of changing their order - meaning Iowa and New  Hampshire will still hold the first contests on the GOP side.

Additionally, New Hamsphire has a state law that requires it to hold a first-in-the-nation primary.

States with early contests have a major influence in determining the nominee because White House hopefuls struggling to raise money or gain political traction often drop out within the first five contests.

New Hampshire state Democratic party chair Raymond Buckley told DailyMail.com ahead of the vote that he's worried Republicans in his state won't agree to change the state law and it can't legally be done without GOP support.

He voiced the concerns of many New Hampshire Democrats - that the GOP won't agree to change their law and Biden, in a symbolic move, could choose not to run in the New Hampshire primary but instead focus on South Carolina.

That wouldn't stop any other Democratic candidate - from lawmaker to political novice - from filing the $1,500 fee to run in the primary. Marianne Williamson, for example, who was a breakout candidate in 2020, has said she intends to run again.

'We don't think it's a good look,' Buckley said, imagining a scenario on primary night where the 'evening news starts off with Donald Trump came from behind and defeated [Ron] DeSantis on the Republican side and, then on the Democratic side, you know, a housekeeper from Oregon wins. I'm not sure everybody thought that through.'

Trump has already started campaigning in New Hampshire, appearing at an event there on Saturday. 

Buckley had warned Democratic leaders in a letter that changing the primary calendar can 'create an opening for an insurgent candidate — serious or not — who can garner media attention and capitalize on Granite Stater's anger about being passed over by [Biden's] campaign.' 

The DNC is looking at giving New Hampshire until June to amend its law although, again, it's unclear if Republicans in the state will support such a move. 

Buckley sounded hopeful that something could be worked out over the next year before any voting actually begins.  

'The bottom line to me is that I want to be successful in the general election in November 2024. That's what matters,' he said, adding he wants to see Biden win another term in the White House.

On Saturday, members of the Democratic National Committee will vote on a new primary calendar that moves South Carolina's contest ahead of New Hampshire, a move that has New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley (right) worried

On Saturday, members of the Democratic National Committee will vote on a new primary calendar that moves South Carolina's contest ahead of New Hampshire, a move that has New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley (right) worried

Republicans will keep their New Hampshire primary calendar date; Donald Trump campaigned in Salem, N.H., on Saturday

Republicans will keep their New Hampshire primary calendar date; Donald Trump campaigned in Salem, N.H., on Saturday

New Hampshire's lawmakers have been lobbying Biden on the issue.

Democratic Rep. Annie Kuster told DailyMail.com she has spoken to President Biden and argued for her state's prime positioning on the calendar. She said she told him that 'he shouldn't hesitate to come on up' to visit the state. 

And New Hampshire Democratic Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan sat out the White House congressional ball in December to protest the issue.

Bu Biden has been vocal in his support for the new system.

He wrote the DNC rules committee in December, saying, 'We must ensure that voters of color have a voice in choosing our nominee much earlier in the process and throughout the entire early window.' That committee approved the new lineup, setting the stage for Saturday´s vote.

The move marks a dramatic shift from the current calendar, which saw Iowa start with its caucus, followed by New Hampshire and then Nevada and South Carolina. Four of the first five states under the new plan are battlegrounds, meaning the eventual party winner would be able to lay groundwork in important general election spots.

That´s especially true for Michigan and Georgia, both of which voted for Republican Donald Trump in 2016 before flipping to Biden in 2020.

The exception is South Carolina, which hasn´t backed a Democrat in a presidential race since 1976, leading some to argue that the party shouldn´t be concentrating so many early primary resources there.

But the state´s population is nearly 27 percent black, and African American voters represent Democrats´ most consistent base of support. Iowa and New Hampshire are each more than 90 percent white.

'It shows that the president of the United States has demonstrated his respect for and appreciation of South Carolina,' South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, assistant Democratic leader in the House and a close Biden ally, told The Associated Press.

The revamped calendar could be largely meaningless for 2024 because Biden is expected to run for a second term without a major primary challenge. Also, the DNC has already pledged to revisit the voting calendar before the 2028 presidential election.

Still, this year´s changes could establish precedent, just as a new lineup that moved Nevada and South Carolina into the first states to vote did when the DNC approved a new primary calendar before the 2008 presidential election.

'These things may be symbolic, but they´re realistic,' Clyburn said, noting the party´s typical revisiting of the calendar before each cycle. 'This is not unusual.'

Republicans blasted Biden and Democrats for causing 'chaos' in the primary system.

'The RNC unanimously passed its rules over a year ago and solidified the traditional nominating process the American people know and understand. The DNC has decided to break a half-century precedent and cause chaos by altering their primary process, and ultimately abandoning millions of Americans in Iowa and New Hampshire,' Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement.

The revamped order follows technical glitches that caused Iowa´s 2020 caucus to meltdown. It also gives Biden the chance to repay South Carolina, where he scored a decisive 2020 primary win that revived his presidential campaign after losses in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.

Democrats have worked on overhauling their primary lineup for months. Sixteen states and Puerto Rico made presentations before the rules committee last summer on why each should be allowed to go first - or at least join the new top five.

Saturday´s vote, which came during three days of DNC meetings, does not fully end the wrangling over the matter.

'We have created an opportunity for other states to take a run at the pre-window,' said Scott Brennan, a rules committee member from Iowa

South Carolina, Nevada and Michigan have met party requirements to join the party´s new top five. 

But in Georgia, Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has said he would be unwilling to change his state´s Democratic presidential primary without the GOP moving its primary, which has not yet happened.

President Joe Biden walks off the stage after speaking at the Democratic National Committee winter meeting on Friday

President Joe Biden walks off the stage after speaking at the Democratic National Committee winter meeting on Friday

New Democratic rules include penalties for states that attempt to jump ahead of others, including possibly losing delegates to the party´s national convention.

'Here´s the reality, no one state should have a lock on going first,' said Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell.

No major challenger has yet emerged from his own party to run against Biden for president next year. Still, top New Hampshire Democrats have warned that another Democrat could run in an unsanctioned primary the state stages and, if Biden skips it in accordance with party rules, could win and embarrass the president - prolonging a primary process that wasn´t supposed to be competitive.

That's 'something no one in this room wants to see,' Dowdell said, though she warned it could happen.

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