"It has become increasingly clear that the Primary Commission has lost sight of its mission, devolving into an exercise focused solely on removing New Hampshire from its traditional role in the nominating process.

Such an outcome is unacceptable, and New Hampshire will take whatever steps are necessary to preserve its state law and traditional role in the nominating process," Gov. Lynch wrote to Dean.

"The goals of this Commission are worthy, but it will take immediate leadership from you to make sure they are not lost. We should not jeopardize the competitiveness of our Democratic presidential candidates simply to appease those with an anti-New Hampshire agenda," Gov. Lynch wrote.

New Hampshire's primary tradition allows all potential presidential candidates a fair shot at making their case to voters, Gov. Lynch said. In addition, as a swing state that allows Independents to vote in either primary, New Hampshire also provides the Party with an important opportunity to test which of its candidates has the greatest appeal to the national electorate.

In addition, Gov. Lynch wrote," New Hampshire citizens gave their four electoral votes to the Democratic nominee in 2004 - making New Hampshire the only state to switch its electoral votes into the Democratic column. Now the Commission seems intent on writing off New Hampshire and dismissing the value of those electoral votes."

New Hampshire Democrats have put forward constructive proposals for improving the primary process and increasing voter participation in the process, Gov. Lynch said.

"Instead of giving more voters in other states the opportunity to weigh in, the Commission is moving in the opposite direction," Gov. Lynch wrote.

"Frontloading the calendar further, as some are suggesting, will force candidates to run a national campaign from the start - which may prevent some well-qualified candidates from even considering a run for President. Instead of giving more states a voice, a frontloaded calendar will ensure that no one is heard. Instead of increasing voter participation in the primaries and caucuses, a frontloaded calendar will ensure that the nominating process is over before most voters are even paying attention," Gov. Lynch said.

A copy of Gov. Lynch's letter is below.

# # #
 

November 30, 2005
 

The Honorable Howard Dean
Chairman of the Democratic National Committee
430 S. Capitol St. SE
Washington, DC 20003

Dear Chairman Dean,

It has become increasingly clear that the Primary Commission has lost sight of its mission, devolving into an exercise focused solely on removing New Hampshire from its traditional role in the nominating process.

Such an outcome is unacceptable, and New Hampshire will take whatever steps are necessary to preserve its state law and traditional role in the nominating process.

New Hampshire has the first primary because it was the first state to take the presidential nominating process out of smoke-filled backrooms and put the decision directly into the hands of voters. It is a tradition and a responsibility the people of this state take seriously.

As you know, the New Hampshire primary offers all candidates, whether or not they are well funded, whether or not they are nationally known, whether or not they are from big states, a fair shot at making their case to voters. It gives candidates a chance to really be heard, and it gives voters a chance to be heard.

As a swing state that allows Independents to vote in either primary, New Hampshire also provides an opportunity for the Party to test which of its candidates has the greatest appeal to the national electorate.

New Hampshire citizens gave their four electoral votes to the Democratic nominee in 2004 - making New Hampshire the only state to switch its electoral votes into the Democratic column. Now the Commission seems intent on writing off New Hampshire and dismissing the value of those electoral votes.

New Hampshire has never sought to be the last word in the presidential nominating process. Throughout the primary season, and pre-dating the primary season, we saw candidates campaigning in a number of other states in addition to New Hampshire and Iowa, including South Carolina and Michigan. What New Hampshire offers is a fair, open and affordable forum for candidates running for president. We fully expect those candidates will also take their messages to other states.

But instead of giving more voters in other states the opportunity to weigh in, the Commission is moving in the opposite direction.

Frontloading the calendar further, as some are suggesting, will force candidates to run a national campaign from the start - which may prevent some well-qualified candidates from even considering a run for President. Instead of giving more states a voice, a frontloaded calendar will ensure that no one is heard. Instead of increasing voter participation in the primaries and caucuses, a frontloaded calendar will ensure that the nominating process is over before most voters are even paying attention.

The current calendar is not perfect, and New Hampshire's Democrats and commission members have made constructive suggestions for improving it. The plan put forward by New Hampshire Democrats would have the Party add one or two diverse states to a prominent place at the beginning of the process, after the New Hampshire primary and before the window opens for unrestricted contests. Giving these states their own moments in the spotlight will do more to increase diversity than jamming them into the week between New Hampshire and Iowa. This would help ensure the voices of the people in those states - and our candidates - are truly heard, not lost in the muddle of a severely frontloaded calendar.

The goals of this Commission are worthy, but it will take immediate leadership from you to make sure they are not lost. We should not jeopardize the competitiveness of our Democratic presidential candidates simply to appease those with an anti-New Hampshire agenda.

Sincerely,
 

John H. Lynch
Governor