In 1968, a primary challenge to a sitting Democratic president nearly cost New Hampshire its First in the Nation presidential primary status.
And 56 years later, incumbent Democrat Joe Biden’s fear of a primary challenge nearly did so, again.
So, when Granite State pols gathered Tuesday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the state’s First in the Nation primary law, it was both a celebration of history and a declaration of defiance.
“To those pundits saying that South Carolina is now the first state, or New Hampshire lost its position– not true,” said Secretary of State David Scanlan. “We’re still first, and we will continue to be, as long as we follow this important law.”
Former state Rep. Jim Splaine speaks at the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the signing of NH’s FITN law, as fellow former Rep. Steve Duprey looks on.
Part birthday party, part campaign kickoff, the event in the Executive Council Chambers is part of what organizers say will be an effort to promote the importance of keeping New Hampshire at the front of the line. Former state GOP chair Chris Ager is part of the nonpartisan “First in the Nation Presidential Primary Committee” that helped organize the event.
“New Hampshire voters take our role seriously,” Ager said. “It is a tremendous responsibility, and we do it well.”
Former Rep. Jim Splaine (D-Portsmouth), a self-described liberal Democrat, sponsored the legislation protecting the primary that was eventually passed with bipartisan support and signed into law by one of the state’s most conservative governors, Mel Thomson.
Keeping the first primary in New Hampshire, Splaine said, “is not only good for candidates, it’s not only good for political parties, but it’s good for the people of the United States. It’s democracy at its best.”
Splaine was aided in his efforts by another young Democrat, Bill Gardner, a state representative who would go on to become the state’s longest-serving secretary of state, serving for 46 years. Gardner, who was on hand for the commemoration, is widely believed to be the single most important defender of the primary date.
Gardner explained how the stunning outcome of the 1968 presidential primary, when incumbent President Lyndon Johnson narrowly edged out Minnesota Sen. Eugene McCarthy (who actually won more delegates than LBJ), put the primary in danger. It was, Gardner said, a victim of its own success.
“The next day, throughout our country, people were reading about this tremendous upset. ‘How could this have happened?’ Because he (McCarthy) represented the little guy, the person who only had a voice. Who didn’t have power, didn’t have money, but who had a voice. And that changed everything.”
Gardner read from a Time magazine article written just days after the ’68 primary and LBJ’s decision not to seek another term. “In a single week, the entire political context of 1968 changed almost beyond recognition,” the article reported. Other states saw that impact and wanted it for themselves.
“Everybody (in other states) was asking, ‘Why don’t we have this? Why don’t we do the same thing?”
When word came that Nevada was considering a plan to jump ahead of New Hampshire in 1972 (led by a young state assemblyman named Harry Reid), Splaine and his allies decided to act. And since the bill’s signing on May 27, 1975, New Hampshire’s state law — giving the secretary of state sole authority to set the date — protected its FITN primary.
Until 2024.
Most of the speakers avoided referencing last year’s fiasco, when not only did Biden use the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to strip New Hampshire of its place at the front of the line, but he also refused to participate — or even appear in the state — until after the primary season. The White House claimed it replaced New Hampshire with South Carolina in the name of racial equity, arguing that New Hampshire’s 95 percent White population shouldn’t be allowed to hold such a key place in the process.
Actually, as the new book “Original Sin” reports, “internally at the White House and DNC, aides privately admitted that the main motivation was helping Joe Biden, not uplifting Black voters.”
Rather than uphold the state’s primary and its tradition, Granite State Democrats organized a write-in campaign for Biden to protect his campaign from the consequences. Five months later, Biden walked out on a debate stage to face Donald Trump and effectively ended his candidacy.
So, was it a mistake for the Biden campaign, via the DNC, to strip New Hampshire of its place on the calendar?
Gov. Kelly Ayotte reads a proclamation on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the state’s FITN law, May 27, 2025.
Steve Duprey, a moderate Republican who endorsed Biden in 2020 and played a role in passing New Hampshire’s primary law 50 years ago, says yes.
“I am absolutely convinced that if President Biden had come to New Hampshire and done just a few events, or even one day of events, the discussion would have started a lot sooner that perhaps he shouldn’t run because you have that kind of close contact with voters,” Duprey said.
Now the focus is on 2028.
“We hope Republicans will stay the course and Democrats have learned that the retail campaigning New Hampshire offers is a necessary part of vetting candidates,” Ager said.
Splaine was more direct, issuing a warning to his own party.
“If the national Democrats don’t allow and encourage candidates of all kinds to run in New Hampshire in the race in 2028, they are making a mistake.”
