3 Democrats to skip rogue primary states

Democrats Bill Richardson, Chris Dodd and Joe Biden on Friday became the first presidential candidates to promise not to campaign in states that hold early nominating contests in violation of party rules.

The three quickly signed onto a pledge circulated by Democratic leaders of the four states that have the party's blessing to hold early contests _ Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina. The pledge says they will avoid competing in any other states that vote before Feb. 5.

Aides to Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton said they were reviewing the pledge. Clinton's aides have previously said she is committed to competing wherever there is a primary or a caucus.

Party rules for this cycle had Iowa's caucuses on Jan. 14, with tests in Nevada Jan. 19, New Hampshire Jan. 22 and South Carolina Jan. 29.

Florida has scheduled its primary for Jan. 29, and will not have any delegates seated at next year's Democratic National Convention unless they change their plan in the next four weeks by order of the party. Michigan's governor was poised to sign legislation that would move its contest to Jan. 15 despite the threat of similar sanctions.

New Hampshire and Iowa also are considering earlier contests to maintain their influence, but the pledge does not prohibit candidates from campaigning in those states even if they go earlier than the national party allows.

Richardson, Dodd and Biden have the most incentive to keep the contest focused on the states approved by the DNC. They have raised less money and can't afford to organize in multiple states at the same times, especially those with expensive media markets such as Florida and Michigan.

Richardson, the governor of New Mexico, said in his formal announcement in May that he would campaign in Florida even if the contest were on Jan. 29. But Friday he said in a statement that the "process is completely out of control and only an agreement by the candidates can restore sanity."

"Each candidate for president should do whatever possible to preserve the established rules," Richardson said. "Anarchy in the nominating process does nothing to further the cause of changing America."

Dodd said in a statement that the four states chosen by the DNC "offer a cross section of America and allow for voters to probe the experience and vision of candidates in a meaningful way."

"In this year, where the national media focus seems to be on celebrity and bank accounts, the role of these states is more important than ever," he said.

Biden campaign manager Luis Navarro said "it is time to end all the maneuvering around the dates of the early primaries and caucuses."

"The public despises this kind of maneuvering for political advantage," Navarro said in a statement. "If the Republicans want to play this way, let them. But we will not be a party to it."

Clinton spokesman Mo Elleithee said she is committed to the "special role" that the four states play and that she will campaign in Iowa and New Hampshire no matter the dates of their contests.

"A number of other states are undergoing a process," Elleithee said. "And we have repeatedly said we are going to let that process play out."

Said Obama spokesman Dan Pfeiffer, "Senator Obama believes the four early states play a vitally important role in the nomination process and would like to see their status maintained for the 2008 primary season."

John Edwards' spokesman Eric Schultz said in an e-mail that the four early states are where ideas matter more than money. But he did not say whether Edwards would sign the pledge.

"Senator Edwards is deeply committed to Iowa's special place as the nation's first caucus, New Hampshire's place as the first primary, and the role each of the four early states play in choosing the strongest Democratic nominee," he said.