South Carolina rep advocated for NH delegates
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Feb. 4—A movement to have New Hampshire Democratic delegates recognized after last month's first-in-the-nation primary is gaining momentum outside of the Granite State.
President Joe Biden won handily on Jan. 23 after supporters launched a write-in campaign, but the Democratic National Committee had said the state's delegates could not be selected based on the "results of the Jan. 23, 2024 event."
The DNC deemed the first-in-the-nation primary non-compliant with its nominating calendar that put South Carolina first. The DNC did so because South Carolina helped propel Biden to victory over Donald Trump in 2020.
On Saturday, U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina called on the DNC to seat New Hampshire delegates at the 2024 Democratic Nominating Convention. His pitch came after Biden's win in South Carolina's Democratic primary.
Clyburn told Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison, "It's time for us to ask our Rules committee not to hold the state law in New Hampshire against our Democrats. They worked hard, and they won a victory."
Harrison said he will get back to Clyburn on his request.
"We look forward to winning in November, having a great convention and we will continue to work with DC folks about getting there," New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Raymond Buckley wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Thanks to the write-in campaign, Biden won with 63.9% of the Democratic vote. He defeated Minnesota U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips and California author Marianne Williamson.
U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster, D-N.H., thanked Clyburn for his commitment to "our democracy" and to New Hampshire.
"Jim and I spoke earlier this week about the strength of our primary and how New Hampshire Democrats demonstrated grassroots momentum for President Joe Biden in 2024. That energy and determination should be represented at our party's nominating convention," she said in a statement. "New Hampshire Democrats are grateful to have such a wonderful ally from South Carolina — we stand united in our efforts to re-elect President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris this November and move our country forward."
Under the DNC nominating calendar, New Hampshire was supposed to be the second primary, along with Nevada. South Carolina, with the help of Clyburn, reinvigorated Biden's run for the White House in 2020.
On Jan. 5, the co-chairs of the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee sent a letter to Buckley calling the first-in-the-nation presidential primary "meaningless."
Attorney General John Formella issued a cease-and-desist order saying the letter included false and misleading statements.
Formella said the DNC letter crossed the line of what is legal communication with voters.
"Falsely telling New Hampshire voters that a New Hampshire election is 'meaningless' violates New Hampshire voter suppression laws," Formella wrote.
U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., said she "expressed her frustration" that he wasn't on the ballot during a Jan. 31 meeting with Biden.
"On the heels of a historic write-in victory and the momentum generated by New Hampshire Democrats' grassroots organizing, I pushed the President to prioritize and invest in the Granite State in the general election," she wrote on X. "It's an all-hands-on-deck effort now to re-elect Joe Biden and make sure we defeat MAGA Republicans up and down the ballot in November."
