The Democratic National Committee has decided to postpone a long-awaited decision on the timing of the 2024 presidential primaries after the midterm elections, party officials were informed on Saturday.
The DNC had planned to decide this summer whether Iowa and New Hampshire would maintain their traditional first-nation status in 2024, or whether more diverse states would take their places in the first primary window, which also includes Nevada and the South. Caroline.
But leaders of the party’s rules and bylaws committee said in a memo to officials on Saturday that they had essentially run out of time before the midterm elections to resolve unresolved questions about how each of the 17 states that have applied for a coveted spot at the start of the primaries would. are organizing their elections and want local officials to focus on the fall elections from now on.
“After the midterm elections, we will meet again to update our assessment of the candidate pool and work toward a final decision to present to the full DNC for a vote, which the DNC leadership told us. assured that they would realize as soon as possible after the midterm elections,” wrote Jim Roosevelt, Jr. and Minyon Moore, the co-chairs of the committee, in the memo shared with NBC News.
“We will continue to work with applicants in the coming weeks to work out the final details,” they added.
Most of the states that have bid for a top spot have never held such elections before, so they would need the cooperation of their governor and state legislatures — several of which are Republican-controlled — to make the legislative changes. necessary and provide resources.
Iowa and New Hampshire have long been criticized for their unique power, especially among Democrats who note that both states are overwhelmingly white. Iowa, in particular, has had a target on its back since botching the 2020 Democratic caucuses and the state drifting further into the Republican column.
The rules committee still plans to meet in Washington next week to work on other issues related to the 2024 presidential nomination race, but will no longer hold the vote on the schedule, the memo says.
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