Democrats, New Hampshire Battle Over Primary

December 9, 2005

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December 9, 2005

Once again, New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation presidential primary is under assault by some Democrats who feel the state is unrepresentative of the party and its voters. But the Granite State takes its status very seriously and vows to fight to keep its uniqueness.

ROBERT SIEGEL, host:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Robert Siegel.

MICHELE NORRIS, host:

And I'm Michele Norris.

Democrats are determined to recapture the White House in 2008, and they think tinkering with the calendar of primary elections may help. The Democratic National Committee is considering a proposal that would allow contests to take place between the Iowa caucuses and the primary in New Hampshire. As NPR's Mara Liasson reports, that's proving to be very controversial.

MARA LIASSON reporting:

New Hampshire has successfully resisted every previous attempt to change its premier position, but tomorrow the DNC's Commission on Presidential Timing and Scheduling will try again to challenge New Hampshire's sacred spot on the political calendar. It will consider a proposal to allow other states, probably a Western state with a large Hispanic population and a Southern state with a large black population, to hold nominating contests between Iowa's and New Hampshire's. Iowa and New Hampshire are overwhelmingly white. And Donna Brazile, who managed Al Gore's 200 presidential campaign, thinks adding other states will make the party stronger in the general election.

Ms. DONNA BRAZILE (Former Gore Campaign Manager): As you well know, Iowa and New Hampshire traditionally have held the first two contests. We believe it's important to allow other states, perhaps geographically or racially diverse states, to compete inside that window to allow our candidates to have the best possible platform to not only get out their message but also to organize Democrats across the country for victory.

LIASSON: Any state that holds an early Democratic-nominating contest will receive lots of money and attention from the party, creating energy and excitement among activists that could pay off in November. Michigan Senator Carl Levin has been leading the push to change the schedule. He believes allowing New Hampshire and Iowa to dominate the nominating calendar distorts the process.

Senator CARL LEVIN (Democrat, Michigan): I don't think you can win a caucus in Iowa unless you're for ethanol. But we got issues in manufacturing states. We got Great Lakes environmental issues. Other states have other issues. There's no excuse for two states having this privileged position every four years.

LIASSON: To New Hampshire state Democratic Party Chair Kathy Sullivan, those are fighting words.

Ms. KATHY SULLIVAN (Chair, New Hampshire Democratic Party): You know, people have said to me, `Is there a problem with putting a caucus ahead of New Hampshire?' And I said, `Listen, Iowa was put ahead of New Hampshire 20 years ago, and the New Hampshire secretary of State, you know, consented to that.' But when you start talking about several caucuses, it's pretty clear that the intention is to undermine the traditional role of New Hampshire. And I don't think that's something that any secretary of State in New Hampshire is going to ignore.

LIASSON: When Sullivan talks about the secretary of State, she's referring to a New Hampshire statute that requires the state to schedule its primary at least one week ahead of any other, quote, "similar event." And if New Hampshire does decide to push its primary even earlier, in response to a perceived threat from another state, then, says Senator Levin...

Sen. LEVIN: Michigan would just have our caucus the same day as New Hampshire. And if they move it up another week, we would move ours up another week. The only way to break their hammer hold on this process is if you are just as insistent to have a fair system as they are to keep their privileged position.

LIASSON: Some DNC members are hoping that this family feud can be avoided with a compromise that would allow other small states to hold caucuses but not primaries before New Hampshire. The issue is a sensitive one, says Jim Jordan, John Kerry's former campaign manager, because no one wants to make New Hampshire or Iowa's political activists angry. After all, Jordan says, along with New Mexico, they are the ultimate swing states.

Mr. JIM JORDAN (Former Kerry Campaign Manager): The only states whose results flipped between 2000 and 2004. Even non-primary voters take a lot of civic pride in their place on the calendar, and it's not in the interest of the Democratic Party to upset them too much.

LIASSON: Of course, even if other states are inserted early, it will only exacerbate what critics say is another problem with the primary schedule. In 2004, the Democrats purposed packed their primary calendar with early contests, so that the party's eventual nominee would have lots of time to raise money for the general election. But that kind of front-loading only skews the process in favor of the best-known, best-financed candidates, a fact that's unlikely to change anytime soon. Mara Liasson, NPR News, Washington.

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