This summer, I was fortunate enough to participate in New Hampshire Boys State, a week-long program focused on the simulation of government and the encouragement of leadership. Boys State is run by the American Legion for rising seniors in high school, and it was truly special to engage in discourse with peers who were as passionate as I was about politics, history, civics, morality and life in general.
When elections came around, I decided to run for Governor, the highest position available at the program. After winning the primary within my party and performing well in a debate, I was elected as the 79th Governor of New Hampshire Boys State, one of the greatest honors I had received in my life.
After Boys State, I was selected by my counselors to go to Boys Nation, a program which simulates the United States Senate, an enormous honor. One hundred “senators,” two from each state, gather in Arlington, Va., every year to form Boys Nation. At Boys Nation, I was elected Nationalist Party Chairman, the highest party position available. Once again, it was one of the greatest honors I had received in my life.
My time as party chairman taught me how partisan politics operate. It also taught me how to navigate and manage a group of 50 driven young men from around the country, which was no walk in the park. It was during my time as party chairman that I learned about the Democratic National Committee’s decision regarding the 2028 presidential primary calendar.
Since 1920, New Hampshire has held its presidential primaries before any other state in the nation. This “first in the nation” tradition was codified into law in 1979 under RSA 653:9. According to said law, “The presidential primary election shall be held on the second Tuesday in March or on a date selected by the secretary of state which is 7 days or more immediately preceding the date on which any other state shall hold a similar election, whichever is earlier.” Thus, it is literally unlawful for New Hampshire not to conduct its presidential primary before any other primary in the nation. However, RSA 653:9 was recently trampled on by the DNC when it was decided that both South Carolina and Nevada would hold their presidential primaries before New Hampshire’s sacred contest.
Due to my experience at Boys State and Boys Nation, I am uniquely positioned to interpret this development. At Boys State, I spent a week with my fellow New Hampshirites, with state pride ascending as a group sentiment. At Boys Nation, I spent a week with my fellow Americans, with national pride and patriotism rising to prominence.
After reflecting on both experiences and thinking about New Hampshire’s first in the nation tradition, I can confidently say that we must come together as New Hampshirites to fight the DNC’s decision. Having the New Hampshire primary go first benefits not only Granite Staters but also all Americans because it defends the integrity of presidential primary elections.
Politically, New Hampshire is an unpredictable state. The large population of independent voters in New Hampshire makes predicting the results of elections here very difficult. While the DNC would be able to predict and shape the results of a primary in South Carolina or Nevada fairly easily, it cannot do the same in a New Hampshire primary.
Having the first presidential primary occur in New Hampshire tests candidates, weeds out poor campaigners and gives prospective nominees as level of a playing field as they’ll find in the country. A New Hampshire presidential primary is one of uniqueness, unpredictability and integrity, and we must ensure that it is once again the first in the nation in 2028.
When the DNC attempted to supplant New Hampshire’s primary on the calendar in 2024, it was unsuccessful. Our state absorbed numerous sanctions and fights with the committee and emerged having protected our status as first in the nation. Despite this, the DNC doubled down on its decision for 2028 and has decided to start another fight with the Granite State. But it doesn’t know what’s coming. Prominent political figures from around New Hampshire are ready to defend tradition, defend state law and defend the integrity of our elections.
The reason I didn’t describe being elected Governor at Boys State or Nationalist Party Chairman at Boys Nation as the highest honor I had ever received isn’t because the positions weren’t honors. It’s because the highest honor I ever received was the ability to call New Hampshire my home.
To put it bluntly, New Hampshire is a feisty state. Residents are proud of their state, and for good reason. We won’t be pushed around by the DNC or any other federally centered political machine. I urge all New Hampshirites and all of my fellow young people to push back against the Democratic National Committee’s primary calendar, and I assert the following: the 2028 New Hampshire Presidential Primary will be the first in the nation.
Milo Cocola is a rising senior at Bow High School.