Governor Bill Richardson Signs Four State Pledge Letter and Reaffirms Support for DNC Primary Process Richardson committed to right and tradition of Iowa and New Hampshire as first in the country caucuses and primary
SANTA FE, NM -- Governor Bill Richardson today became the first Democratic Presidential candidate to officially sign the Four State Pledge Letter that promises he will not campaign in any state which schedules a Presidential election primary or caucus before February 5, 2008. The pledge was authored by Democratic officials in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina and is designed to support the Democratic National Committee's sanctioned primary and caucus schedule, thereby avoiding chaos in the nominating process.
"This process is completely out of control and only an agreement by the candidates can restore sanity," Governor Richardson said. "I hope no candidate tries to manipulate this situation for his or her own purposes. The DNC rules were established for a purpose -- to allow retail campaigning in a few early states and choose those states based on geographic and demographic diversity. Each candidate for President should do whatever possible to preserve the established rules. Anarchy in the nominating process does nothing to further the cause of changing America."
