Story highlights Gardner is the nation's longest-serving secretary of state

A Democratic National Committee spokeswoman said Tuesday that Gardner "must step down from this sham of a commission"

Manchester, New Hampshire (CNN) Under fire from Democrats nationally and in his state, New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner defended his involvement in President Donald Trump's voting commission Tuesday as the panel began a daylong meeting at St. Anselm College.

Gardner pointed to New Hampshire's role in the founding of the nation, saying that "we hold the first-in-the-nation primary, and we have a proud tradition of civic participation and responsibility."

"New Hampshire people aren't accustomed to walking away or stepping down from their civic duty. And I will not, either," Gardner said.

Gardner is the nation's longest-serving secretary of state and has been re-elected by Democratic and Republican legislatures, largely due to his advocacy for keeping the state's primary first in the presidential nominating process.

But he has faced sharp criticism for participating and hosting a meeting of the group created after Trump made a series of claims -- without ever offering any evidence -- that widespread voter fraud tipped 2016's popular vote and the outcome in New Hampshire in Hillary Clinton's favor.

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