Five Democratic hopefuls pull names off Michigan ballot

WASHINGTON - Five Democratic presidential contenders yesterday yanked their names off the Michigan ballot, delivering a group snub to a state feuding with the national Democratic Party over its decision to move its primary to mid-January in violation of party rules.

The removals reinforce the authority of the Democratic National Committee to impose order on a tumultuous campaign in which dozens of states have pushed up their nominating contests in hopes of attracting more money and attention from the presidential candidates. The DNC has threatened to unseat the delegates of states that defy the primary rules set by the party.

The candidates' decisions provide a symbolic boost for New Hampshire, which is anxiously trying to protect its historic status as host of the first-in-the-nation primary. DNC rules allow for early contests in New Hampshire, Iowa, South Carolina, and Nevada, but Michigan and Florida defied the DNC by scheduling their primaries for Jan. 15 and Jan. 29, respectively.

William Gardner, New Hampshire's secretary of state, said "nothing has changed" to ease the pressure on the Granite State to move its primary ahead of the Jan. 15 date. "It's still a similar election," even if several main candidates are refusing to participate, Gardner said in an interview.

Gardner has not set an official date, but political observers expect the primary to be Jan. 8, with the Iowa caucus as early as Jan. 3.

Senators Barack Obama of Illinois and Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware - joined by John Edwards, a former senator from North Carolina, Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico, and Representative Dennis Kucinich of Ohio - declared yesterday that they would not be candidates in the state's primary. Senators Hillary Clinton of New York and Chris Dodd of Connecticut - who, like all of the Democratic candidates, have pledged not to actively campaign in the state - chose to remain on the ballot.

The decisions serve political purposes for many of the candidates. Clinton, who has been well ahead in the polls in Michigan, may end up with a strong showing that gives momentum to her campaign, even if the DNC follows through on its threat to refuse to seat convention delegates.

The other candidates, meanwhile, can avoid the potential embarrassment of a poor showing in Michigan, while appeasing officials from New Hampshire and Iowa who are angry about Michigan's move to mid-January.

The DNC played no role in the individual candidates' decisions about Michigan and had no further comment on those moves, said spokeswoman Stacie Paxton. Florida has already been found in official noncompliance, meaning that its delegates will not be seated at the convention in Denver next year or be given any convention perks, such as hotel rooms.

Michigan is not yet technically in noncompliance with the DNC, she said, because the state has not officially filed a plan to the national committee for a January primary date. If and when Michigan files the plan, the DNC will decide whether or not to accept the state's delegates, she said.

Michigan - which, like many states, has grown resentful of what it sees as Iowa and New Hampshire's monopoly on the nomination process - moved up its primary in hopes of attracting more attention to its postindustrial issues and more visits from candidates. But the move by Democratic contenders yesterday suggested Michigan might end up with less campaign attention than it has had in previous elections.

"We're very disappointed," said Jason Moon, spokesman for Michigan's Democratic Party.

"Those two states basically blackmailed the candidates. They forced them to sign the pledge, not to come" to campaign in Michigan, Moon said.

Kathy Sullivan, a DNC member from New Hampshire and former chairwoman of the state's party, said she took no pleasure in seeing Michigan's role marginalized in the nominating process, but said the state had only itself to blame.

All of the Democratic candidates have pledged not to campaign in Florida. But they cannot take themselves off the ballot unless they drop out of the presidential race entirely, said Mark Bubriski, spokesman for Florida's Democratic Party.

Florida Democrats said they could not stop the GOP-controlled Legislature from moving up the primary, but the DNC disagreed.

Susan Milligan can be reached at milligan@globe.com.