DNC recommends Michigan as an early primary state
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The path to the presidency will likely run through Michigan.
Driving the news: The Great Lakes State is among those moving up in the Democratic a presidential nominating calendar as formally recommended by the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee.
Why it matters: "We have always said that any road to the White House goes through the heartland and President Biden understands that," Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) said in a statement.
- Early nominating states, which have been Iowa and New Hampshire for half a century, attract greater attention and high-profile campaign visits.
State of play: South Carolina would replace Iowa to hold the first 2024 primaries on Feb. 6, followed by New Hampshire and Nevada on Feb. 13, Georgia on Feb. 20 and Michigan on Feb. 27.
- The committee's recommendation will go before the full DNC for consideration in February.
Between the lines: Michigan's status as an open primary state could complicate things since primaries for both parties must be held on the same day.
- The RNC has strict penalties for states that don't follow their already determined primary order for the 2024 election, which would drop Michigan's allocation of delegates to 12 at the national convention.
- That didn't stop all but one Republican senator from voting for the proposed change to move the primary up by a month last week.
What they're saying: "We will continue to monitor legislation to move forward our state’s presidential primary as it makes its way through the legislative process," a spokesperson for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer tells Axios.
- House Speaker Jason Wentworth (R-Farwell) says he is open to negotiations, MLive reports.