States, such as New Hampshire, may choose to disregard the Democratic National Committee's (DNC) established primary calendar, according to CNN reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere. Dovere suggested on Sunday that state parties might hold their presidential nominating contests at times of their own choosing, indicating that "nobody" is afraid of DNC Chair Ken Martin.
The DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee recently selected South Carolina to host the party's first presidential nominating contest in 2028, bypassing other states, including New Hampshire, which has historically held an early primary.
The New Hampshire Democratic Party has voiced its dissatisfaction with this decision. Party chair Ray Buckley stated that the national party has "learned nothing from 2024" and that New Hampshire's primary realities are "beyond the control of both this committee and our state party." Buckley added that the committee's vote moves the party further away from its objective of winning general elections.
Dovere noted that states might be inclined to defy the calendar because they perceive the national party as financially weak and its leadership, including Martin, as not commanding significant influence or fear.
While the DNC has established penalties for states that do not adhere to the calendar, including substantial fines and delegate losses, Martin expressed confidence that candidates would be deterred from participating in unsanctioned early contests. He stated that candidates would have to weigh the risk of losing delegates and access to debate stages.
New Hampshire state law mandates that its primary election occur at least seven days before any other state holds a similar election. This state law has previously led to conflicts, such as in 2024 when the New Hampshire Democratic Party defied the DNC, and President Joe Biden's name was not on the ballot, though he won the state as a write-in. The DNC's threats to withhold delegates were ultimately resolved, and New Hampshire's delegates were restored in April 2024.
Reports have also surfaced regarding internal DNC turmoil. DNC Chair Ken Martin reportedly faced a formal human resources complaint in early July after an incident where he allegedly threw his phone at a junior aide's desk. Multiple sources familiar with the event, as reported by The New York Times, described the behavior as "spiraling" and "unacceptable."