Jonathan Martin’s August 24, 2025, Politico column argues that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) will have limited options but to reinstate New Hampshire as the first state in the 2028 presidential primary calendar. This analysis aligns with the First in the Nation Committee’s mission to protect New Hampshire’s longstanding role.
I will always fight to ensure we remain first.
Governor Kelly Ayotte
Martin highlights the DNC’s upcoming summer meeting in Minneapolis, where the 2028 calendar will be debated. He notes the shift away from Iowa due to its 2020 caucus issues and red-state status, but positions New Hampshire differently.
“New Hampshire is a different story, and I think it is likely to again begin the party’s nomination process in 2028.”
— Jonathan Martin, Politico, August 24, 2025
Key to this is New Hampshire’s state-run primary and legal mandate to hold the nation’s first primary.
“First, the New Hampshire primary is run by the state, not the political parties. Democrats and Republicans hold their primaries on the same day, and the vote is administered by town and state officials. More importantly, as just about any Granite Stater you encounter in a Dunkin’ Donuts will tell you, there is a state law requiring New Hampshire to hold the country’s first primary. And they will keep abiding by that law.”
— Jonathan Martin, Politico, August 24, 2025
Martin points to the 2024 cycle as evidence of the DNC’s weak leverage. Despite stripping New Hampshire’s delegates for defying the calendar, the DNC restored them for unity and electoral reasons.
“With an eye toward party unity, and recognizing New Hampshire could be competitive in the general election, the DNC restored New Hampshire’s delegates.”
— Jonathan Martin, Politico, August 24, 2025
He dismisses threats of other states leapfrogging, citing 2008 when New Hampshire moved its date earlier.
“I have no doubt that if other states attempt to leapfrog New Hampshire, they’ll respond by simply moving their primary back, even into calendar year 2027 if necessary.”
— Jonathan Martin, Politico, August 24, 2025
Support from figures like New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte reinforces this.
“As New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican, told me: ‘I will always fight to ensure we remain first.'”
— Jonathan Martin, Politico, August 24, 2025
Martin also notes Rep. James Clyburn’s stance on South Carolina, prioritizing an early slot over first position.
“Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) told Dave Weigel in June that Biden alone had made South Carolina first — ‘we had nothing to do with being number one’ — and that he was content with his state being decisive rather than merely early.”
— Jonathan Martin, Politico, August 24, 2025
Criticisms of New Hampshire’s demographics are downplayed post-Iowa’s removal and amid Democrats’ need for white voters.
Martin predicts a four-state early window: New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada, and likely Michigan.
“My conversations with a number of plugged-in Democrats, some DNC members and some not, suggest that this will all end with four early states from four different regions: most likely New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada and a Midwestern-state-to-be-named-later.”
— Jonathan Martin, Politico, August 24, 2025
He emphasizes New Hampshire’s retail politics advantage.
“As Ayotte said, the Granite State’s small population size, geographic density and tradition of town hall politics offer ‘voters the chance to hear directly from our presidential candidates.'”
— Jonathan Martin, Politico, August 24, 2025
“Or, as New Hampshire Democratic Chair Raymond Buckley called it: ‘the cranky once-over that we do.'”
— Jonathan Martin, Politico, August 24, 2025
Martin’s advice to New Hampshire Democratic leaders: Approach humbly, focusing on strengths.
Recent news from the RNC Summer Meeting bode well for New Hampshire as well, as National Committeeman Bill O’Brien was elected chair of the powerful Rules Committee for the RNC. The Rules Committee sets the early state calendar for Republican presidential primaries.