AUSTIN, Texas — Democrats teed up South Carolina to lead a six-state gantlet of early presidential contests, sealing a 2028 road map that pushes Black and Latino voters and labor to the front of the line for choosing the party’s next national leader.
After discussions Saturday in Texas, the Democratic National Committee formally anointed South Carolina, with its large African American primary electorate, as the first-in-the-nation state. It will be followed by Nevada, with high numbers of Latinos and powerful labor interests. Next up are New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan and then Virginia.
As it did in 2024, when then-President Joe Biden initially sought re-election, the party committee apparatus put aside its decadeslong tradition of kicking off the fight for presidential nominations in Iowa and New Hampshire. The DNC’s early timetable is dispensing entirely with Iowa following its disastrous 2020 caucuses, when issues tallying the votes led to delays and confusion. Party leaders in New Hampshire, traditionally the first-in-the-nation primary state, and Iowa, long the site of first-in-the-nation caucuses, opposed the move.
The new calendar would launch the early series of contests in six states from late January through the end of February, after which other states could hold their primaries, too. South Carolina’s primary is to be held on Jan. 22, 2028, Nevada’s on Feb. 1, New Hampshire’s on Feb. 8, New Mexico’s on Feb. 15, Michigan’s on Feb. 22 and Virginia’s on Feb. 29.
“Our 2028 nominee, whoever they are, will have to earn the support across the full breadth of America. Every region, every demographic, every generation,” Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said in his opening remarks to committee members on Saturday. “No shortcuts. No coronation. You want to lead this party? Go earn it. Go and earn it.”
Martin’s words come as the party is still reckoning with the elevation in 2024 of then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who quickly replaced Biden as the party’s nominee after he stepped aside. Biden, already contending with public doubts over his age and mental fragility, withdrew after he failed to complete sentences and stared off in silence during a televised June debate with Donald Trump. Support from party leaders and donors cratered, as did his position in public polling, forcing Biden to step aside with just 107 days left in the presidential race.
He backed Harris and Democratic leaders followed his lead, forgoing any internal contest for the spot. After Harris’ loss, many leaders have lamented the decision not to allow various Democratic contenders to run for the nomination.
It was Biden as president who first handpicked South Carolina as the party’s leading primary state. The state had salvaged Biden’s candidacy in 2020, when he was on the brink following his poor showings in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Some of the other leading candidates opposing Biden that year were unable to continue once they reached South Carolina and failed to win among Black voters. The party then discussed the merits of allowing two predominantly white states — Iowa and New Hampshire — to play such a critical leading role for an ethnically and racially diverse Democratic electorate.
Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart on Saturday opposed the new 2028 calendar, saying that Iowa losing its historic status means no Midwestern state will go in the first four states.
Hart said Republicans will launch their presidential primaries in Iowa in 2028 regardless of what Democrats do and will have a leg up getting ready for general elections, with national implications for the balance of Congress, including three congressional seats and the chance to flip Sen. Chuck Grassley’s Senate seat in 2028.
“They will spend hundreds of millions of dollars to promote their candidates, and they will bring tons of national media attention,” Hart said.
Longtime New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley issued a statement just after the verification of the new calendar, calling it “disappointing.” New Hampshire has long had a state law on the books dictating that it must hold its presidential primary before other states. The DNC has said it is not bound by an individual state’s law.
“Time and again, New Hampshire has proven we are uniquely suited to battle-test candidates. Our small, purple state gives candidates a level playing field with the opportunity to meet voters face-to-face, answer tough questions, and earn support one conversation at a time,” Buckley said. “We will continue making the case to ensure that Granite Staters have a meaningful voice in choosing the next Democratic nominee for president.”
