Write-in campaign for Biden goes live
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Oct. 30—CONCORD — More than 100 activists, including Democratic legislative leaders and former members of Congress, launched a write-in effort to help President Joe Biden win New Hampshire's presidential primary though his name won't be on the ballot.
A website promoting the write-in campaign emerged Monday, the first business day after the end of the candidate filing period, which saw 24 Republicans and 21 Democratic hopefuls sign up to run here.
"New Hampshire will once again have the first-in-the-nation primary this winter. The fight for our democracy starts here and New Hampshire will show the nation and world that President Joe Biden is the leader we need to continue to move this country forward," the website said.
Last week, Biden's reelection campaign confirmed the president would not place his name on the ballot because New Hampshire plans to defy a Democratic National Committee calendar that has South Carolina holding the first primary.
Secretary of State David Scanlan has vowed to enforce the state's primary law, which ensures New Hampshire holds the first primary contest every four years.
"While misguided DNC rules are leaving Joe Biden off the primary ballot here, New Hampshire Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents overwhelmingly support Joe Biden and plan to write him in," the new campaign noted.
The effort failed to mention it was Biden who lobbied the DNC last fall to knock New Hampshire from the front of the line after he failed to win the Granite State in three different White House runs.
Still, Biden beat Trump by more than 7% to win New Hampshire's four electoral votes in 2020.
Biden's choice to lead off the primaries was South Carolina, a politically red state that revived his 2020 campaign after embarrassing showings in both Iowa and New Hampshire.
First, show voters how
The write-in effort's steering committee includes all 10 Democratic state senators as well as House Democratic Leader Matt Wilhelm of Manchester and 30 of his top lieutenants.
Other prominent Democrats playing major roles in spreading the word include candidates for governor Cinde Warmington of Concord and Joyce Craig of Manchester, former U.S. Reps. Carol Shea Porter of Rochester and Paul Hodes of Concord, ex-Democratic Party Chairs Kathy Sullivan and Joe Keefe, ex-Senate President Sylvia Larsen of Concord and former House Speaker Terie Norelli of Portsmouth, retired Supreme Court Chief Justice John Broderick, authors/movie producers Ken Burns of Walpole and Dayton Duncan of Rindge, AFL-CIO President Glenn Brackett of Concord, former Executive Councilor Colin Van Ostern of Concord and lobbyist Jim Demers of Concord.
This is the first organized write-in campaign for president in modern history in New Hampshire.
So, said Demers, the initial focus will be on educating voters who are not accustomed to adding someone's name to a primary ballot.
A list of frequently asked questions on the website advises voters how to do this.
"Fill in the small oval next to the words 'write-in' at the bottom of the list of candidates," it reads. "Write 'Joe Biden' next to the printed words 'write-in' and return your ballot."
House Democratic Leader Wilhelm said that while Biden struggles in the polls, this campaign will help remind voters of his accomplishments during his first term.
"President Biden has shattered years of congressional gridlock," Wilhelm said. "He's passed a game-changing infrastructure law, a critical investment in American competitiveness in the CHIPS semiconductor act which is sparking new economic growth in New Hampshire, and the Inflation Reduction Act which has already begun to cut prices for consumers while also taking the biggest steps in history to combat climate change."
Republican State Chairman Chris Ager said Biden's refusal to run here is an indictment of his three years in office.
"Joe Biden has abandoned New Hampshire because he cannot answer for the hardships his failed policies have created. High inflation and increased cost of living have left many Granite Staters struggling to afford the bare necessities," Ager said in a statement.
Neil Levesque, director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, said this campaign effort will have to overcome a contradiction: getting voters to write in the name of Biden after the president orchestrated the very scenario that kept his name off the ballot.
"For President Biden to say the DNC is keeping me off the ballot is the height of hypocrisy, and nobody here is going to be fooled by that message," Levesque said.
