New Hampshire defies national Democrats’ new calendar and sets the presidential primary for Jan. 23

By HOLLY RAMER
Associated Press

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire has scheduled its presidential primaries for Jan. 23, 2024, keeping the state first despite national Democrats’ efforts to overhaul the nominating calendar. New Hampshire law requires the state’s Republican and Democratic primaries to be held at least seven days before any similar contest and gives the secretary of state sole authority to set the date. Republican Secretary of State David Scanlan did so on Wednesday, defying the Democratic National Committee’s plan to have South Carolina host the first primary on Feb. 3, 2024.  Scanlan says “New Hampshire has a tradition, and New Hampshire has a law, and both the tradition and the law were going to be followed no matter what.”