DFL Chairman 'Disappointed' MN Wasn't Chosen As Early Primary State

ST. PAUL, MN — Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chairman Ken Martin said he is "disappointed" that President Joe Biden did not recommend Minnesota as an early presidential primary state.

Sources told the Associated Press Thursday that the president wants his party to prioritize diversity at the start of their presidential primary calendar and give up "restrictive" caucuses.

The Democratic National Committee will vote Friday on the order of the 2024 presidential primary calendar and beyond.

Minnesota gave up its caucus system ahead of the 2020 election and now holds a primary.

But Biden's recommendation signals the likely end to Iowa's decades-long reign as the first state in the Democrats' nomination process.

South Carolina is expected to be picked as the first state in the new nomination calendar, possibly followed by Georgia and Michigan.

"I would like to extend my congratulations to Michigan and the other early states," DFL head Martin said in a statement released Thursday night.

"I wish them luck in conducting their 2024 presidential primaries. Their success is now all of our success. While I am disappointed that Minnesota was not selected to be an early presidential primary state, I recognize how difficult this decision was and I appreciate all the work that the Democratic National Committee put into making it. I would also like to thank every state that participated in the process of updating and strengthening our presidential primary calendar."

Martin added that "the Minnesota DFL Party is already hard at work building the infrastructure necessary to deliver our state’s electoral votes to the Democratic presidential nominee in 2024."

Reporting from the Associated Press was used in this story.