In a recent development, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has criticized New Hampshire Democrats for their selection of delegates for the state's unsanctioned presidential primary. The DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee sent a letter to New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair, Ray Buckley, expressing their concerns ahead of the state party's delegate caucuses on Saturday.

The committee asserted that the selection process for the primary had not been approved and, therefore, no delegates or alternates would be awarded based on the results of the unofficial primary. In their letter, the co-chairs of the Rules and Bylaws committee, Minyon Moore and Jim Roosevelt Jr., emphasized that non-compliant processes could disenfranchise and confuse voters.

Describing the upcoming unsanctioned primary as "detrimental" and "meaningless," the committee urged the New Hampshire Democratic Party and presidential candidates to refrain from participating. They requested the state party to submit a "compliant" delegate selection plan by January 15th.

However, New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair, Ray Buckley, dismissed the pushback, noting that it was nothing new. Despite the criticism, New Hampshire has decided to proceed with the unsanctioned primary, which is scheduled to take place in just over two weeks.

The primary is a result of the disagreement between state and national Democrats over the order of this year's nominating calendar. President Joe Biden and the DNC had proposed South Carolina to lead the primary, citing its diversity and its role in propelling Biden to the nomination in the previous election. However, New Hampshire's Republican-controlled government refused to change the law that mandates holding the primary a week before any similar contest. As a result, the primary date was set for January 23rd, while South Carolina's Democratic primary is scheduled for February 3rd.

President Biden opted to skip putting his name on the ballot for New Hampshire's primary due to these circumstances. In response, his allies in the state have launched a write-in campaign on his behalf. Meanwhile, New Hampshire Democrats proceeded with their delegate-selection caucuses on Saturday, including candidates such as Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) and self-help guru Marianne Williamson.

The divide between the DNC and New Hampshire Democrats underscores the ongoing challenges in harmonizing the primary calendar and ensuring a fair and inclusive electoral process. As the primary approaches, it remains to be seen how the results of the unsanctioned primary will impact the overall dynamics of the Democratic nomination race.