President Joe Biden has elected not to file for the Democratic primary in the state of New Hampshire. The filing period ended on Oct 27, with two candidates filing the paperwork for the Democratic nomination. Activist Marianne Williamson and Congressman Dean Phillips (D-MN) will be the two names on the ballots for Democrats come Jan 23.
Biden did not file for the New Hampshire primary to comply with the Democratic National Committee’s decision to have South Carolina be the first primary. It is New Hampshire state law that their primary be the first, and the state is going to stand by this tradition of over 100 years. Despite winning the state in 2020 against former President Trump, Biden did not perform well in the Granite State during the primary. His campaign was saved when he received 49% of the vote in South Carolina, 30 points higher than Bernie Sanders.
With Biden not appearing on the New Hampshire ballot, voters will have two options to choose from. In addition to write-ins, Williamson and Phillips have both filed for the primary and have been campaigning in the state. Williamson, who launched her campaign in March, recently visited Saint Anselm college during a Pizza and Politics event. Newcomer to the race, Congressman Dean Phillips of Minnesota, spoke at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics on Oct 31 as part of the American Stage Series.
Phillips is a bit of an outsider in the race, not known to many in the state of New Hampshire. As of 2022, Phllips ranked as the 13th most bipartisan member of Congress by the Nonpartisan Lugar Center, placing him in the top 3%. He unseated a 5-term Republican in Minnesota and was the first Democrat to win the district in over 50 years. He is a three term Congressman and is nor running for president.
At the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, Phillips opened by essentially introducing himself to the state. He praised New Hampshire and the voters of the state by saying, “I’ve never been to a more engaged place in my life and the United States. A place that takes this so seriously, you people that take this so seriously because it is serious.” He supports New Hampshire’s efforts to remain the First in the Nation Primary and was disappointed to see President Biden not file to be on the ballot.
Phillips did not go into much detail about policy agenda, but discussed more about his role in the election and why he is challenging Biden. He believes that the path forward for the country is not for either Trump or Biden to be reelected. “He (Biden) broke the promise to be the bridge candidate,” Phillips said. “The bridge isn’t in 2028, the bridge is right here in 2024.” Phillips is skeptical about Biden’s ability to beat Trump in 2024. “He is behind in polls in 5 of the 6 battleground states that can quite literally win the election,” he continued. It was unclear as to what polls and states he was referring to when he made these claims. He additionally said that Biden’s approval rating was at an historic low of 37%, again, without saying where this rating came from.
Phillips prides himself on being one of the most bipartisan members of Congress. He was critical of the polarizing dynamic of Washington and promised to have a bipartisan cabinet, should he win the presidency. “I will never make a decision without having someone who feels the exact opposite make their case. We are a nation right now that is preventing those conversations.” Phillips showed support for Israel and Ukraine, pushing for there to be funding provided for both causes. He criticized the handling of the southern border and government spending, while not providing any policies or ideas to address the problems.
Devin Johnson ‘27 said, “I don’t agree with Dean Phillips on a lot of issues, but I appreciate him coming out here and talking to us about what he believes.” Johnson appreciates Phillips’ demeanor and outgoingness. “He’s a personable guy. I like that he took time to answer extra questions after and wanting to talk to people, which you don’t really see a lot of politicians do,” he said.
Mario Ventresca ‘25 shared a similar thought saying, “I like the way he spoke to the people and how he wants to unite us as a country. I think it is really important to come together. I just don’t see how he goes forward by winning this election.” Phillips has about two months to continue his campaign and spread his message to the voters of New Hampshire before the primary comes at the beginning of 2024.
