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Paperboy Love Prince, Dean Phillips or a man with a boot on his head?
Those candidates are on the ballot when Democrats hold primaries in New Hampshire.
But one key name is missing: President Joe Biden.
“Senseless,” says the party leadership.
The spotlight is on the Republican primary in New Hampshire, where Donald Trump is pitted against Nikki Haley in the battle to become the party’s presidential nominee.
But in the shadow of the Republican duel, the opposing party, the Democrats, has clashed with local politicians in New Hampshire.
This infighting has resulted in President Joe Biden not being on the ballot in the January 23 primary.
Election promises: Ponies and zombies
However, 21 other candidates do.
Among them, Paperboy Love Prince, a non-binary artist and rapper from New York who says he wants to “transform the country with love.” He is anti-war and wants to start love centers around the country. When he applied to participate in the primary election, he appeared in futuristic gold pants, Super Mario-like shoes, and looked like a cartoon character.
Another colorful character is on the New Hampshire ballot: “Vermin Supreme,” an activist and performance artist with a boot on his head. He is a satirical candidate who wants to introduce a mandatory toothbrushing law, give Americans a free pony and use zombies for renewable energy.
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fullscreenVermin Supreme Photo: Cheryl Senter/AP
But there are two Democratic candidates lining up to more seriously challenge Biden: progressive author Marianne Williamson and Congressman Dean Phillips of Minnesota.
But while Biden continues to be deeply unpopular in national polls, and most voters want to see an alternative candidate, the competition is struggling. Even though Biden isn’t even on the ballot in New Hampshire.
Internal strife
The background is an internal battle in the party that flared up, where the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has chosen to move the party’s first official primary election to the state of South Carolina on February 3.
Democrats wanted to give the southern state more influence because it better reflects the country’s diversity, and it’s a state where Biden did well in 2020.
But New Hampshire’s local politicians soured after the announcement. For over 100 years, they have organized the first primary election in the country – and were willing to fight to keep it going. The state is controlled by Republicans, and they had no interest in appeasing the DNC. Also, there is a law in New Hampshire that says they must be first in line.
Therefore, the primary election is taking place as planned. But overruled by the DNC.
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fullscreen Paperboy Love Prince Photo: Wikipedia
Because the state violates DNC rules, Biden has chosen not to put his name on the ballot. No delegates to the party convention will be awarded either. A win in New Hampshire is purely symbolic for the Democrats – but if Biden loses, it is seen as an embarrassing blow to the president.
However, Biden still has a chance to win New Hampshire.
At the bottom of the ballot there is a space where voters can enter a name of their choice.
His allies in the state are conducting a write-in campaign on his behalf, to cement his position as the party’s front-runner.
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full screen Incumbent President Joe Biden is not on the ballot for the New Hampshire election. Photo: Evan Vucci/AP
Criticism of Biden
In the latest CNN poll, 65 percent of New Hampshire Democratic voters say they will write in Biden. 10 percent say they will vote for Dean Phillips, while 9 percent say Williamson.
Criticism of the president, for skipping New Hampshire and not hitting the campaign trail, has been hailed from competitors.
– If you run for president, you must meet the voters, walk through the snow, meet the press, answer questions and hold debates, said Dean Phillips during an event this weekend.
The DNC has sent a letter that further angered New Hampshire Democrats. Where they urge them to inform the public that their primaries are “meaningless”.
That prompted the New Hampshire attorney general’s office to roar back, calling it illegal voter suppression, and asking party leadership to stop smearing the primary.
Even Dean Phillips raged against the comment that Tuesday’s primaries are “meaningless”.
– It is one of the most serious violations of democracy that I have ever seen in my entire life as an American, period.