Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) accused the Democratic National Committee and President Joe Biden of suppressing voters Tuesday as the first of the New Hampshire primaries began.
Polls opened in the first Democratic contest at midnight in New Hampshire, though Phillips is running in an unprecedented environment — with no delegates at stake and an incumbent relying on a write-in campaign.
In an interview, Phillips, who has made the Granite State the focal point of his campaign, said, “The state of Florida Democratic Party decided that Joe Biden won the primary election and that there did not need to be any votes cast, disenfranchising 4 million voters or so,” referencing the state party’s decision not to hold a primary election.
“The state of North Carolina did the same thing. The state of Massachusetts Democrats attempted the same thing, but the secretary of state intervened,” he said.
According to the Minnesota Democrat, this amounts to voter suppression.
“When you’re trying to suppress voters, suppress candidates, and not even agree to debate, yeah, I think we have a problem with democracy,” he said.
“I would ask of the president before I condemn him specifically: answer the questions. Why don’t you ask him that question?” he asked the reporter, directing him to ask Biden.
In the latest Emerson poll last week, 61% of Democratic primary voters said they will write in Biden, despite his absence from the state’s ballot.
Biden’s campaign did not file for the Granite State’s primary because of its early scheduling after the DNC’s push to have South Carolina in the first position.
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Phillips garnered 16% in the New Hampshire poll, while Marianne Williamson had 5%, and 16% of voters were undecided.
“Biden’s strength generally increases with voters’ age, 84% of Democratic Primary voters over 60 plan to write Biden in, compared to 70% of voters in their 50s, 52% of voters in their 40s, and 40% of voters under 40,” Executive Director of Emerson College Polling Spencer Kimball said. “Dean Phillips’ support comes from voters under 50, 26% of voters in their 40s support Phillips along with 22% of voters under 40.”