Trump Urges New Hampshire Democrats to Support Phillips in Primary Upset

In a surprising turn of events, Former President Donald Trump has called on Democrats in New Hampshire to rally behind Minnesota U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips in the upcoming primary, sending a strong message to President Joe Biden about the importance of the Granite State. President Biden recently announced his absence from the New Hampshire primary after the state's Secretary of State, David Scanlan, rescheduled the primary to Jan. 23, preserving the state's century-old tradition of being the nation's first to primary.

Addressing a crowd at a rally in New Hampshire on Jan. 20, President Trump suggested that Phillips, a relatively unknown congressman, might pose a significant challenge to President Biden in the state, noting that the congressman "just picked up a lot of votes." The former president added, "Let’s see if an unknown congressman—nobody ever heard of this guy—let’s see how he does. He might beat Biden, wouldn’t that be nice? I think Democrats should vote for the congressman just to send a signal [that] you don’t abandon us. Nobody gonna abandon New Hampshire."

Phillips, a three-term Democratic congressman, is running for president with a focus on "relieving the economic hardship felt by working families" and "repairing our broken political system," according to his website. President Biden chose not to register for the New Hampshire primary after national Democrats decided to move their first primary to South Carolina, a state with a more racially diverse population.

Despite President Biden's absence, his supporters are mounting a write-in campaign in New Hampshire in an effort to secure a win in the state on Jan. 23. A recent CNN/University of New Hampshire poll released on Sunday indicated that President Biden is currently leading with 63 percent of the primary vote in the state, while Mr. Phillips trails at 10 percent.

The unexpected intervention by Former President Trump adds a new dynamic to the primary race, suggesting that Phillips may have the potential to defy expectations and challenge President Biden's dominance in the state. As the primary approaches, all eyes will be on New Hampshire to see whether Trump's call to support Phillips will resonate with Democratic voters and alter the course of the primary.