New Hampshire Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas is furious with President Joe Biden’s decision to strip the Granite State of America’s first Democratic primary, calling it a “total betrayal.”
Pappas stated that the New Hampshire primary is part of the state’s identity and helps define the kind of direct democracy that the state has.
For a century, New Hampshire has held the first primary in the race for the White House, emphasizing grassroots and small-scale retail politics, and is known for its well-informed electorate.
The DNC voted earlier this month to overwhelmingly approve a new top of the calendar, which upends the traditional schedule, with New Hampshire now voting second, along with Nevada, three days after South Carolina.
Pappas said that Biden, the leader of his own party, caused a “big disappointment” by stripping New Hampshire of its first-in-the-nation primary status.
He added that it is a significant disappointment that Biden pushed the DNC to make these changes. New Hampshire Democrats have warned that New Hampshire will still go first under the longstanding state law that mandates the leadoff primary position and that a primary not sanctioned by the DNC could invite trouble for the president.
Pappas believes that Biden simply chose the “easiest” calendar possible in case he decides to run for re-election. He stated that “no one president or political leader should be shaping this calendar,” adding that the process is more significant than any one president.
According to Fox News, Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Biden’s move to strip New Hampshire of its first-in-the-nation primary status has angered many, with Pappas being the latest to call out the president for his decision.
The New Hampshire primary has long been a defining characteristic of the state’s democracy, and changing the schedule would impact the state’s well-informed electorate and grassroots retail politics.
Pappas believes that Biden’s decision to reorder the primary calendar is a political move, and he should not have shaped the calendar to suit his re-election bid. Many New Hampshire Democrats share Pappas’s views, warning that Biden’s move could invite trouble for the president.
