DNC committee sets up South Carolina to vote first in Democrats’ 2028 presidential primaries
The Democratic National Committee has voted to designate South Carolina as the first state in the 2028 presidential primary calendar. This shift replaces Iowa and aims to prioritize more diverse electorates, though it has sparked debate over the influence of different voter demographics.
Why it matters
This change fundamentally alters the early-state strategy for presidential candidates and reflects the party's ongoing efforts to align its nominating process with its diverse base.
South Carolina is poised to hold the first Democratic presidential nominating contest in 2028 after the Democratic National Committee’s powerful rules committee voted to keep the state at the front of the line. The move, recommended by the rules committee Friday and set to be presented to the full DNC at its summer meeting next month, settles a monthslong battle among a handful of states. Nevada and New Hampshire, which also vied to be the lead-off state, will hold the second and third nominating contests, respectively. New Mexico, Michigan and Virginia will round out the first six contests prior to Super Tuesday. The move officially pushes Iowa out of the early voting window altogether. It had served as the opening contest for both parties up until 2024, when Democrats pushed it back after issues with the 2020 caucuses.
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