The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has voted to change their presidential primary schedule, putting the state of South Carolina first.
This looks like political payback for Democrat Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, who saved Joe Biden’s candidacy in 2020 after a string of primary losses.
The New York Times reports:
Democrats Overhaul Party’s Primary Calendar, Upending a Political TraditionUpending decades of political tradition, members of the Democratic National Committee voted on Saturday to approve a sweeping overhaul of the Democratic primary process, a critical step in President Biden’s effort to transform the way the party picks its presidential nominees.For years, Democratic nominating contests have begun with the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, a matter of immense pride in those states, and a source of political identity for many highly engaged residents.But amid forceful calls for a calendar that better reflects the racial diversity of the Democratic Party and the country — and after Iowa’s 2020 meltdown led to a major delay in results — Democrats endorsed a proposal that would start the 2024 Democratic presidential primary circuit on Feb. 3 in South Carolina, the state that resuscitated Mr. Biden’s once-flailing candidacy. It would be followed by New Hampshire and Nevada on Feb. 6, Georgia on Feb. 13 and then Michigan on Feb. 27.“This is a significant effort to make the presidential primary nominating process more reflective of the diversity of this country, and to have issues that will determine the outcome of the November election part of the early process,” said Representative Debbie Dingell, a Michigan Democrat who has vigorously pushed for moving up her state’s primary.It’s a calendar that in many ways rewards the racially diverse states that propelled Mr. Biden to the presidency in 2020.
The talking points have gone out. The folks at MSNBC claim this is all about ‘diversity’ and returning power to the people.
The Associated Press is repeating the party line as well:
Dems reshuffle primaries to stress diversity over traditionThe Democratic Party on Saturday approved reordering its 2024 presidential primary, replacing Iowa with South Carolina in the leadoff spot as part of a major shake-up meant to empower Black and other minority voters critical to its base of support.Although more changes are possible later this year, the formal endorsement by the Democratic National Committee during its meeting in Philadelphia is an acknowledgement that the start of the 2024 primary will look very different from the one in 2020. Hundreds of party stalwarts climbed to their feet and cheered after the easy passage by voice vote.States with early contests play a major role in determining the nominee because White House hopefuls struggling to raise money or gain political traction often drop out before visiting states outside the first five. Media attention and policy debates concentrate in those areas, too.
The truth is that this is all about giving Joe Biden an advantage, but the media can’t admit it.
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