Biden reportedly asks Democrats to make South Carolina 1st voting state in 2024 primaries, demoting Iowa


President Biden has asked the Democratic National Committee to put South Carolina first on the 2024 primary calendar, followed by New Hampshire and Nevada, Georgia, and Michigan, DNC members learned at a private dinner on Thursday, according multiple news organizations. The Democrats have been discussing shaking up the primary schedule for months, but elevating South Carolina to pole position and putting Georgia in the first five states "came as a shock to party officials and state leaders," The Washington Post reports.
Biden explained in a letter to DNC members Thursday that the Democratic Party "must ensure that voters of color have a voice in choosing our nominee much earlier in the process and throughout the entire early window." Any successful Democratic nominee must "have overwhelming support from voters of color," he said, and also win over "working class Americans" and "union households."
Biden specifically proposed that South Carolina — widely credited with saving his presidential bid in 2020 — hold its Democratic primary on Feb. 6, New Hampshire and Nevada follow on Feb. 13, Georgia vote on Feb. 20, and Michigan round out the early states on Feb. 27, Politico reports. Iowa, the largely White state whose caucus has led off the Democratic primary calendar since 1976, "would have no early role in the Biden plan," the Post notes.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Iowa didn't help its cause by badly bungling its 2020 caucus, but Biden proposed in his letter that "our party should no longer allow caucuses as part of our nominating process" regardless, calling them "restrictive" and "anti-worker."
South Carolina Democrats were ecstatic with Biden's plan, Iowa Democrats were disappointed, and New Hampshire — which traditionally votes second but by state law holds the first primary — was livid. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) called Biden's plan "tremendously disappointing," Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) deemed it "deeply misguided," and New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley said "the DNC did not give New Hampshire the first-in-the-nation primary and it is not theirs to take away."
Nevertheless, the DNC is expected to ratify Biden's preferred calendar next year. It's not clear how that will work with the Republican primaries, which will follow the traditional Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada order, the Republican National Committee affirmed last spring.
Whatever happens in 2024, Biden urged the DNC to "review the calendar every four years, to ensure that it continues to reflect the values and diversity of our party and our country."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Disney is still shielding Americans from an episode of 'Bluey'
Talking Points The US culture war collides with its lucrative children's show
-
6 captivating new museum exhibitions to see this summer
The Week Recommends Get up close to Gustave Caillebotte and discover New Vision photography
-
'The answer isn't to shake faith in the dollar'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Elon Musk slams Trump's 'pork-filled' signature bill
speed read 'Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong,' Musk posted on X
-
Depleted FEMA struggling as hurricane season begins
speed read FEMA has lost a third of its workforce amid DOGE cuts enforced by President Donald Trump
-
The Biden cover-up: a 'near-treasonous' conspiracy
Talking Point Using 'Trumpian' tactics, the former president's inner circle maintained a conspiracy of silence around his cognitive and physical decline
-
White House tackles fake citations in MAHA report
speed read A federal government public health report spearheaded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was rife with false citations
-
Judge blocks push to bar Harvard foreign students
speed read Judge Allison Burroughs sided with Harvard against the Trump administration's attempt to block the admittance of international students
-
Trump's trade war whipsawed by court rulings
Speed Read A series of court rulings over Trump's tariffs renders the future of US trade policy uncertain
-
Elon Musk departs Trump administration
speed read The former DOGE head says he is ending his government work to spend more time on his companies
-
Trump taps ex-personal lawyer for appeals court
speed read The president has nominated Emil Bove, his former criminal defense lawyer, to be a federal judge