The Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws panel has recommended that South Carolina hold the party's first presidential nominating contest in 2028, maintaining its key role in the primary calendar for Black voters. This decision comes after intense lobbying by several states, including Nevada, New Hampshire, and Iowa, to secure the coveted lead-off Democratic primary. The move is seen as a way to reward Black voters, who have long been loyal to the Democratic Party.
The panel's vote also allowed Nevada, New Hampshire, Michigan, Virginia, and New Mexico to hold primaries in the early voting window, before the rest of the states hold nominating contests starting ahead of Super Tuesday. The proposed calendar has South Carolina holding its primary on January 22, 2028, followed by Nevada on February 1, 2028, and New Hampshire on February 8, 2028. The Rules and Bylaws Committee's proposals will face a final vote by the DNC's entire membership at its summer meeting next month.
Supporters of South Carolina pointed to the recent Supreme Court ruling that weakened the Voting Rights Act and ongoing redistricting battles as reasons why the party needs to reaffirm its commitment to Black voters. In contrast, Nevada allies highlighted the state's diverse electorate and working-class population as ideal for Democratic White House hopefuls to make their case. The decision marks a significant shift in the Democratic primary calendar, which has traditionally been led by New Hampshire and Iowa.
New Hampshire has a long history of holding the lead-off presidential primary, but the DNC has sought to increase diversity in the early states' electorate by adding more representative states to the calendar. National Democrats have argued that Iowa and New Hampshire are unrepresentative of the party as a whole due to their largely white populations and few major urban areas. The proposed calendar aims to give more voice to diverse states like Nevada and South Carolina.
The DNC's decision has been met with mixed reactions from state party leaders. New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley argued that the vote shows that many party insiders have learned nothing from 2024 and that New Hampshire's proven track record of testing candidates was not considered. In contrast, Nevada Democratic Party Chair Daniele Monroe-Moreno emphasized the importance of her state's role in the nomination process as an early test of a candidate's ability to win in a general election.
The Democratic Party's calendar decision comes as the Republican National Committee has announced that its nominating schedule will remain unchanged, with Iowa and New Hampshire leading off the contests. The DNC's proposed calendar aims to prevent unsanctioned contests by imposing tough penalties on states that go rogue and candidates who campaign in those states. The party hopes that this process will give more voice to millions of Americans and ultimately lead to a stronger nominee in the general election.
