LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan House Democrats on Tuesday voted to move the state’s presidential primary to the fourth week of February and lead the Democratic Party’s presidential primary election beginning next year. Voted to be part of the new group.
The move, which was approved by the state Senate along party lines on Thursday, comes after a Democratic National Committee panel voted last month to approve a plan This would make Michigan the fifth state to hold its own presidential primary as early as 2024 and potentially in years to come.
Democratic leaders in the state have said the move would give Michigan an increased voice in national politics and draw more attention to the battleground state.
“Our population is a more reflective mix of suburban, urban and rural components than any other state,” said Democratic State Sen. Jeremy Moss, chairman of the Senate Elections Committee. “We are serious about putting Michigan at the forefront of presidential politics because then it puts us at the forefront of setting the national agenda.”
House Republicans argued Tuesday that the move could cost the state party nearly all of its delegates in 2024, as the Republican National Committee sets an early primary calendar that doesn’t include Michigan. Andrew Beeler, a Republican state representative from Port Huron, said the move would “disloyal” Republican voters and was “basically spitting in front of half the state.”
Beeler said, “If your primary is held before March 1st you lose 90% of your delegates. So if this becomes law, no Republican candidate for president will be able to come to Michigan to campaign.” Going to do.”
a new presidential primary calendar that was endorsed by President Joe Biden Will remove Iowa’s caucus from its primary and replace it with South Carolina’s, which will begin primary voting on February 3. Nevada, New Hampshire, Georgia and Michigan will follow in that order, with the majority of the rest. The country is holding its primaries on Super Tuesday in early March.
As Democratic leaders in Michigan moved to match the DNC’s plan, they also tried to garner Republican support for the move in hopes of getting the two-thirds vote that would pass the state Senate for the change to take effect immediately. I was necessary.
With the legislation passing along party lines, it now heads to Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s desk and isn’t scheduled to take effect until 90 days after the end of the session — leaving little room for how it will be implemented for 2024. Leaving the question The Legislature typically adjourns in December but a bill that would apply to the 2024 presidential primary would need to be finished by November 29.
If Biden Wins, Democrats’ 2024 Primary Calendar May Be Moot Opted for re-election as expected, But whatever happens in 2024, Moss said the state “seized the opportunity that was presented to us” and will continue to do so to become a “major player in presidential politics.”
