State Democrats Confident of Biden Primary Win

🔴 President Biden's name will not be on the presidential primary ballot

🔴 State Democrats say the president will still win a write-in campaign

🔴 It's not yet clear what type of campaign Biden will run in New Hampshire

President Joe Biden made it official that his name will not be on the ballot in the New Hampshire presidential primary, but state Democrats are confident he will still win.

With a deadline of Friday looming to file a Declaration of Candidacy, the president's campaign said it will abide by the decision of the Democratic National Committee to hold the South Carolina presidential ahead of New Hampshire.

"In accordance with this guidance, Biden for President will refrain from submitting a Declaration of Candidacy for the primary," read the letter signed by campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez. "The president looks forward to having his name on New Hampshire's general election ballot as the nominee of the Democratic Party after officially securing the nomination at the 2024 Democratic National Convention where he will tirelessly campaign to earn every single vote in the Granite State next November."

The campaign's decision caps a battle between the state and national Democratic committees over the date of the primary. The DNC wanted the state party to change state law that requires New Hampshire's primary to be held first. State party chair Raymond Buckley said that as the minority party, that was an impossibility.

Is there a plan for victory?

Buckley is confident the president will still come out on top in the primary, which will still happen ahead of South Carolina's primary on February 24.

“The reality is that Joe Biden will win the New Hampshire First-in-the-Nation Primary in January, win renomination in Chicago, and will be re-elected next November. New Hampshire voters know and trust Joe Biden, that’s why he is leading Trump in New Hampshire by double digits," Buckley said in a statement,

Dean Spiliotes, Southern New Hampshire University Civic Scholar and founder of NH Political Capital, told Seacoast Current that it's not clear what type of campaign would be run to get Democrats to the polls and write down the president's name.

"I'm not sure to what extent Biden will run a write-in campaign, but it's pretty clear that the state Democratic Party will be actively pushing for Democratic voters to write Biden in on the ballot. Whether it will be highly coordinated with resources from the Biden team remains to be seen," Spiliotes said.

A spokesman for the state Democratic party did not respond to Seacoast Current's questions about what they may be planning with or without the Biden campaign.

Under DNC rules, Democratic candidates face penalties if they campaign in New Hampshire, including the loss of delegates. Author Marianne Williamson is the only Democrat to file for the primary so far. Robert Kennedy Jr. has opted to run as an independent. Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota is considering a run.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Kelly Ayotte was critical of Biden's decision.

“New Hampshire is First in the Nation for a reason – Granite Staters take their role in electing presidents seriously, and we do it well. It is clear that Joe Biden lacks the courage to answer the tough questions about his terrible policies that are hurting the Granite State," Ayotte said in a statement.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via X (Twitter) @DanAlexanderNH