OPINION: About NH 'first' law: Hassan's magic spell

Aug. 7—Maggie Hassan and other New Hampshire Democrats cite New Hampshire presidential primary law as if they were invoking a magic spell. The law, they chant, says New Hampshire goes first.

But if their national party doesn't sanction New Hampshire as the first primary, how will this spell work exactly? Will state Democrats hold a primary outside the approved "window"? Will its rogue delegates be counted at a national convention?

How might potential 2024 presidential candidates react if, as seems likely, the Democratic National Committee abandons the Granite State tradition as soon as the mid-term elections are over?

Might, say, a Pete Buttigieg risk party wrath by participating here in an "outlaw" primary? Would an early win here be worth such a gamble? We suspect it would.

But it would be much better if the supposed party of the little people just left little New Hampshire remain as first in the nation, where it welcomes all candidates, actually listens to what they have to say, and then turns out in substantial numbers to vote.