Democratic presidential candidate Dean Phillips claims to be gaining momentum in New Hampshire, despite polls showing him in the single digits in the state. Meanwhile, President Biden will not appear on New Hampshire's primary ballot next week, as he did not file due to a change in the party calendar. New Hampshire chose to keep its early contest status and did not accept the change, so voters who wish to support Biden will have to write his name in. A recent poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire shows that 69% of Democratic primary voters plan to do just that, while 7% support Phillips and 6% back author Marianne Williamson.
Speaking from New Hampshire, Phillips stated that he would be thrilled if he achieved 20% in the primary. Previously, a campaign advisor had cited a specific goal of 42%. Phillips clarified that the 42% figure was a reference to Senator Gene McCarthy's achievement in 1968, when he ran against a weak Democratic incumbent. Phillips, however, acknowledged that his current rise in the polls is significant and achieving a result in the 20s would be an extraordinary achievement.
