Gov. Bill Richardson and Sen. Chris Dodd became today the first Democratic presidential candidates today to promise to not campaign in states that hold early primaries or caucuses in violation of party rules.
For Richardson, the new position is a flip-flop. He said earlier said he would campaign in Florida even though the state’s Democrats are holding their contest on Jan. 29 in violation of Democratic National Committee rules.
But since Richardson made that statement months ago, much has changed. Florida has been joined by Michigan and Republican parties in Wyoming and South Carolina in moving their presidential nominating contests ahead of schedules approved by the national parties, and other states may also move up their contests. Because of a state law, the moves threaten to force Iowa to hold its caucuses in mid-December.
“This process is completely out of control and only an agreement by the candidates can restore sanity,” Richardson said in a news release. “… Each candidate for president should do whatever possible to preserve the established rules. Anarchy in the nominating process does nothing to further the cause of changing America.”
Dodd said in a release that he believes “that Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada offer a cross section of America and allow for voters to probe the experience and vision of candidates in a meaningful way.”
“In this year, where the national media focus seems to be on celebrity and bank accounts, the role of these states is more important than ever,” he said.
The pledge by Richardson and Dodd does not exclude them from attending fundraisers or hiring fundraising staffers in states that violate the DNC rules, but does state that they won’t take part in any other events or campaigning in those states.
The DNC wants Iowa’s caucuses on Jan. 14, Nevada’s on Jan. 19, New Hampshire’s primary on Jan. 22 and South Carolina’s on Jan. 29, with no other contests taking place before Feb. 5. Seeking more influence in the process, the other states have leaped over the approved process.
That happened in part because influential Democrats like Richardson pushed for South Carolina and Nevada to be included in the January lineup to increase the diversity of voters who would have an early say in the process. Other states figured that if those two could step on the toes of Iowa and New Hampshire, they could too.
The DNC doesn’t agree. It decided last weekend to strip Florida of its delegates if it holds its contest before Feb. 5, but few believe the threat will stand. Many analysts said it would, however, pressure presidential candidates to spend less time in states that violate the rules.
Since Richardson is betting his entire presidential run on Iowa, Nevada and South Carolina, and his campaign is dependent on all three states having significant influence, there’s little risk in him making today’s pledge. The introduction of other states into the January lineup – and in particular Michigan and Florida, which include huge media markets – makes it more difficult for candidates with less money to keep up with the frontrunners.
Update, 3:10 p.m.
Joe Biden will also make the pledge, his campaign announced today.
“It is time to end all the maneuvering around the dates or the early primaries and caucuses,” Biden campaign manager Luis Navarro told the Associated Press. “The public despises this kind of maneuvering for political advantage. If the Republicans want to play this way, let them. But we will not be a party to it.”
Gov. Bill Richardson and Sen. Chris Dodd became today the first Democratic presidential candidates today to promise to not campaign in states that hold early primaries or caucuses in violation of party rules.