In a move that reverses a nearly 50-year tradition, members of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) — the body that oversees one of the two major political parties in the United States — voted to reshuffle the calendar. their primaries for 2024 presidential race.
South Carolina has now begun its nomination schedule, followed by votes in New Hampshire and Nevada a week later.
The decision is expected to knock the Midwestern state of Iowa out of the lead. Since 1972, Iowa has begun the presidential nomination process with The first closed-door meeting in the country.
Although the reshuffle is expected to be confirmed by the DNC in its entirety in a vote early next year, the move, announced on Friday, signals a shift in power in politics. United States, as Democrats focus on building a more diverse voter base.
In the United States, Republican and Democratic presidential candidates are determined through a series of state-by-state primaries and caucuses. Countries that vote first Super Tuesday – the date on which the most states hold their primaries – is said to influence the outcome of each party’s nomination.
Friday’s decision comes after a letter from US President Joe Biden calling on the DNC to waive “restrictive and anti-worker” caucuses that require voters to be in person at “a location where they need to be present.” specified point at a certain time” to participate.
Biden’s letter – written on personal stationery, rather than from the White House – also emphasizes the need to black voters during the party’s presidential selection process.
“For decades, Black voters, in particular, were the mainstay of the Democratic Party but were pushed back during the initial primaries,” Biden wrote.
“We relied on these voters in our elections but failed to realize their importance in our nomination calendar. It’s time to stop belittling these voters and it’s time to give them a louder voice and earlier in the process.”
Black voters in South Carolina are credited with helping to sustain Biden’s presidential ambitions in a finish the main race in 2020. Early voting in Iowa and New Hampshire that year saw Biden in fourth and fifth place respectively, behind other hopeful Democratic candidates.
But he scored victorious commander in South Carolina, helping him win the party’s nomination. More than 26 percent of South Carolina residents are black.
In elections Against Republican incumbent Donald Trump, Biden also enjoyed strong support from the Black community, receiving 92% of the Black vote.
But Democrats have long faced criticism that they have taken Black voters and their problems for granted, a feeling echoed by DNC member Donna Brazile in The conference is convened on Friday.
“Do you know what it’s like to live on a dirt road? Do you know how hard it is to try to find clean water?” Brazile asked for the Democratic Party’s rule-making arm. “You know what it feels like to wait and see if the storm passes you and your roof is intact?”
Friday’s vote also elevates the status of the Georgia and Michigan primaries, which are set to pick the first five states that will vote for the Democratic nominee. New Hampshire, Nevada, Georgia and Michigan are all considered important battlefield state for the Democratic Party, as Biden prepares to run for a second term in 2024.
South Carolina leans Republicanmeanwhile, has not voted green in the presidential general election since 1976.
As incumbent, Biden is seen as a strong candidate for his party’s nomination in 2024, meaning Friday’s decision is likely to have broader consequences for the elections. future president.
Meanwhile, the Republican National Committee (RNC) has announced its intention to continue using the Iowa caucus as its first primaries in 2024. Among the candidates expected to compete election featuring former President Donald Trump, who declared Start your campaign in November.
Iowa Republicans have criticized the DNC’s primary reshuffle, calling the party’s decision to choose South Carolina as the party’s first primary state “a not-so-serious alternative to a not-so-serious president.” .
Iowa Republican Chairman Jeff Kaufmann said in a statement: “The DNC and Joe Biden have just caused extreme chaos,” vowing that “the fight is not over.”
Scott Brennan of Iowa, a Democrat rules committee member, also urged his party members to ensure “small, rural states” have a say in the Democratic nomination process.
“Democrats cannot forget entire constituencies in the heart of the Midwest without doing significant damage to the party in newer generations,” he told the panel on Friday. Brennan and other committee members from Iowa and New Hampshire were the only ones to vote against Friday’s change to the Democratic nomination schedule..
Iowa suffers from multi-day delays and inconsistencies in Democratic election race 2020top candidates like Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg Request a review of several counties.
Democratic committee member from Nevada also criticized Friday’s new nomination schedule, in which their state votes Monday on a common day with New Hampshire.
“If we want to build strong relationships with Latinos, then Nevada has to stand alone on a date, not share the date,” said Artie Blanco of Nevada.
Nearly 30 percent of Nevada’s population identifies as Latino, according to the 2021 census.
Iowa and New Hampshire have said that the laws in their states mandate that they stay ahead of others and that they intend to follow those, not the committee’s decisions.
