Even with a rejiggered primary calendar that weakens New Hampshire‘s clout in the Democratic nominating process, it’s notable when a high-profile officeholder not running for president visits the Granite State. And a scheduled May 12 speech by Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) is drawing attention.
Khanna is set to speak on that day at the New Hampshire Democratic Party’s McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner. The fundraising event at the Sheraton Nashua, with tickets up to $10,000 each, comes a few weeks after President Joe Biden declared his reelection campaign on April 25. So far, no prominent Democrats are planning to run against Biden for the Democratic nod, nor have any even hinted about it.
RO KHANNA SAYS PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS ‘BUILDING POWER’ THAT WILL SEE THEM DOMINATE ELECTIONS
This raises questions about longer-term political plans by Khanna, a California congressman from Silicon Valley who represents the Northwestern San Jose-area 17th Congressional District. Khanna’s national ambitions are no secret. He has been one of the most prominent Democrats in Congress since first getting elected in 2016. He’s a Fox News regular, in addition to other media, and has been willing to speak out against Democratic leaders at times.
The University of Chicago and Yale Law School-educated Khanna comes out of central casting from the current Democratic Party’s profile as a haven of the highly educated, professional class. But Khanna also has been a vocal supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and his far-left economic agenda. Khanna also has endorsed Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) for an open California Senate seat.
As for Khanna’s May 12 New Hampshire speech, a party establishment event — “Shaheen” in the dinner’s name stands for Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) — would be highly unlikely to host an insurgent Democratic rival against Biden. Nevertheless, the speech and the meet-and-greets with Democratic bigwigs that go with it offer Khanna a chance to introduce himself to power players should he run for president in 2028.
Khanna’s New Hampshire event is set to take place against the backdrop of the Granite State’s diminished political influence, at least in the 2024 Democratic presidential primary cycle. New Hampshire won’t be the earliest primary, though it will continue to have a prominent role.
It’s part of a broader reorganization plan by the Democrats, who nixed Iowa from the premier spot on the party’s nominating calendar after a half-century of dominance. Instead, the 2024 Democratic presidential calendar will have South Carolina in the plum first position on Feb. 3, New Hampshire and Nevada jointly sharing the No. 2 slot on Feb. 6, Georgia on Feb. 13, and Michigan on Feb. 27.
Tim Scott’s money chase
Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) has spent plenty of time in New Hampshire, along with Iowa and other early voting states in the Republican nomination process. But Scott also is heeding the old maxim about ready money being a candidate’s best friend in a presidential race.
Scott’s presidential exploratory committee is having a fundraising “call day” and retreat in Charleston, South Carolina, on May 23. Per an invite, the event runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and includes breakfast and lunch, with time otherwise consumed by donor calls and a political briefing.
Scott, a senator for the past decade after two years in the House, is the lone black Republican who has launched a presidential exploratory committee for the 2024 cycle. He’s running an optimistic Reagan-style future-oriented campaign, compared to the backward-looking vibe of former President Donald Trump’s bid that has endlessly rehashed false claims about his 2020 loss to Biden.
Scott announced his exploratory committee on April 11. At the end of 2022, Scott had $21.8 million in his Senate reelection account coffers. If he decides to run, the senator can direct the money toward his presidential campaign.
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So, the May 23 daylong Scott fundraising activities suggest he’s ready to jump into the race soon. If Scott does seek the GOP nomination for the right to challenge Biden in 2024, he’ll join Trump in the Republican scrum, along with former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, ex-Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and “anti-woke” businessman Vivek Ramaswamy.
Potential 2024 Republican presidential candidates include former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, ex-Vice President Mike Pence, and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu.
