Meeting in Philadelphia, the National Committee of the Democratic Party (DNC) officially approved on Sunday February 5 the major reorganization of the primary calendar desired by US President Joe Biden. This decision should be favorable to him, in the event that he seeks a second term.
In 2024, the first Democratic primary will be held on February 3 in South Carolina, followed by Nevada and New Hampshire on the 6th, Georgia on the 13th and Michigan on the 27th.
For years, rural Iowa and New Hampshire, both more than 90% white majority, have been the focus of attention, kicking off the Democratic primaries every the four years.
But Mr. Biden suggested in December to open the ball of the primaries in the southern state of South Carolina, which has a large African-American population.
First primary in Iowa for Republicans
The committee then approved the proposal in a show of hands, with only members representing Iowa and New Hampshire voting against, before it was put to a vote this month by the full party leadership.
Before the 2020 presidential election, Mr. Biden had suffered several failures in the primaries of Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, before winning a very large victory in South Carolina. It was this state that allowed him to turn the tide and finally be chosen to challenge Donald Trump.
While it is very likely that Mr. Biden will seek a second term, he has not yet formalized his candidacy. For its part, the Republican Party still plans to hold its first primary in Iowa in 2024.