Biden wins as write-in candidate in New Hampshire

President Biden was projected to win the New Hampshire Democratic primary on Tuesday after an unprecedented write-in initiative, according to Decision Desk HQ.

Biden’s name wasn’t actually on the ballot in the Granite State after the president didn’t file for the primary in order to comply with the new Democratic National Committee-sanctioned primary calendar. His win on Tuesday, which won’t actually award him any delegates, was still expected and a loss would have been a detrimental and embarrassing setback for the president.

New Hampshire voters were encouraged, through an effort organized by Biden allies, to write in Biden’s name on the ballot, which could include any variation of his name like President Biden, “Joe and Kamala,” or even Biden spelled “Bidon.”

The unusual write-in initiative comes as the Democratic National Committee reshuffled its calendar to make South Carolina, which played a major role in Biden’s victory in 2020, the first state for 2024. The effort was spearheaded by Biden, who argued that it promotes diverse voices in early Democratic primaries, and put it ahead of New Hampshire.

That move was met with fierce blowback from Granite State Democrats, however. The New Hampshire state Legislature in November declined the effort to change its primary date, pointing to a state law that requires its primaries to be held at least seven days before any other state holds its own.

But Biden’s win will give the president a boost of momentum amid signs of discontent around his campaign. It will also further undercut arguments being made by his primary challengers, including Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) and author Marianne Williamson, who have insisted that there’s not enough enthusiasm around the president heading into November.

Biden hasn’t visited New Hampshire recently and has focused on other early-voting states, such as South Carolina. The New Hampshire primary served as a gauge to test if Biden’s challenges within his own party, such as concerns over his age or the lack of enthusiasm from young voters, could still lead to a victory over low-profile challengers.

New Hampshire also tested Biden’s strength going into the general election, against likely challenger former President Trump, the GOP front-runner. The aggregation of polls kept by Decision Desk HQ and The Hill shows Trump with a 1.1 percentage point lead over Biden in a hypothetical head-to-head contest.