Biden won’t file for New Hampshire Democratic primary

President Biden’s name will not be on the Democratic primary ballot in New Hampshire in 2024, both his campaign and state Democratic Party confirmed to The Hill on Tuesday.

“While the president wishes to participate in the Primary, he is obligated as a Democratic candidate for President to comply with the Delegate Selection Rules for the 2024 Democratic National Convention promulgated by the Democratic National Committee. On October 24, 2023, the Democratic National Committee’s Rules & Bylaws Committee issued guidance urging Democratic campaigns to refrain from placing candidates’ names on the ballot,” wrote Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez in a letter obtained by The Hill to state Democratic Party Chair Raymond Buckley.

“In accordance with this guidance, Biden for President will refrain from submitting a Declaration of Candidacy for the Primary ahead of Friday’s candidate filing deadline for the Primary,” she added, noting that Biden’s name would have his name would appear on the general election ballot in the state.

Buckley wrote in a statement on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that the president was already slated to win the Democratic nomination next year in Chicago.

“NH voters know and trust Joe Biden that’s why he is leading Trump in NH by double digits,” he said.

The decision comes as the Democratic National Committee (DNC) reshuffled its primary calendar, placing South Carolina first in its primary lineup. Under the DNC’s calendar, Nevada and New Hampshire would hold their primaries second, followed by Georgia and then Michigan – a calendar that also removes Iowa from the early lineup of states to cast ballots.

It also comes as Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) is reportedly gearing up to launch a longshot bid for the Democratic nomination against Biden. Phillips has reportedly done outreach in New Hampshire; the Minnesota Democrat is not expected to ultimately draw a competitive contest against the president, but the move would create an unwelcome distraction for Democrats.