Democrats Choose South Carolina to Open 2028 Presidential Primary/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ A Democratic National Committee panel selected South Carolina to hold the party’s first presidential nominating contest in 2028. The decision continues Democrats’ shift away from the traditional Iowa-led calendar toward states with more racially diverse electorates. The full DNC must approve the schedule when it meets in August.
Quick Look
- South Carolina was selected to lead the 2028 Democratic primary calendar.
- The DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee made the decision Friday.
- The full Democratic National Committee must approve the calendar in August.
- South Carolina competed with Nevada for the first position.
- Joe Biden helped move South Carolina to the front of the 2024 schedule.
- The state played a crucial role in reviving Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign.
- South Carolina provides an early test of candidates’ support among Black voters.
- Iowa is expected to remain off the top of the Democratic calendar.
- Democrats want early states to reflect the party’s racially diverse coalition.
- Republicans are expected to retain an Iowa- and New Hampshire-led calendar.
- The 2028 Democratic contest could be the party’s first truly open primary in nearly 20 years.
Deep Look
South Carolina Selected to Lead Democratic Calendar
WASHINGTON — South Carolina was selected Friday to host the first Democratic presidential nominating contest of the 2028 election.
The Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee chose the state to lead the party’s primary calendar for a second consecutive presidential cycle.
The decision is not yet final. It must be approved by the full DNC, which is scheduled to meet in August.
Democrats Continue Break From Iowa Tradition
The selection likely confirms a major departure from the party’s former nominating calendar, which placed Iowa first for decades.
Democrats removed Iowa from the opening position before the 2024 election following concerns about representation, accessibility and the state’s troubled 2020 caucus reporting process.
The party has instead sought to give greater influence to states whose voters more closely reflect the racial and demographic composition of the Democratic coalition.
South Carolina Defeats Nevada for First Position
South Carolina and Nevada were considered the leading candidates for the first contest.
Both states campaigned aggressively for the influential position.
Early primary states receive extensive attention from presidential candidates, political organizations, donors and national media. Their results can determine which campaigns gain momentum and which candidates withdraw.
Biden Elevated South Carolina in 2024
Former President Joe Biden successfully pushed for South Carolina to open the Democratic primary calendar in 2024.
The state had been central to his political recovery four years earlier. Biden’s decisive South Carolina victory revived his struggling 2020 campaign and helped propel him toward the Democratic nomination.
South Carolina has traditionally held the first Southern presidential primary and serves as an important measure of candidates’ support among Black voters.
Southern Democrats Lobby for South Carolina
Democratic officials from several Southern states urged the DNC to keep South Carolina in the opening position.
They argued that the state gives presidential candidates an opportunity to begin building the broad coalitions necessary to win the party’s nomination and compete nationally.
In a letter to the DNC, they described South Carolina as “a moral and political compass for our party and our nation.”
Diverse States Gain More Influence
For decades, Iowa and New Hampshire—two states with predominantly white electorates—held the first contests in the presidential nominating process.
Democrats have sought to elevate states with larger populations of Black, Latino and other minority voters.
The changes are intended to give the party’s core constituencies more influence over which candidates gain early momentum.
Ocasio-Cortez Supports Reviewing the Order
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive viewed as a possible 2028 presidential candidate, supported reconsidering the calendar before the committee announced its decision.
“I think that it is good that we don’t take the order for granted, and just copy and paste it every cycle,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
She has not formally announced a presidential campaign.
Early Contest Could Shape Crowded Primary
The 2028 Democratic primary is expected to attract numerous candidates.
Without an incumbent Democratic president or an obvious frontrunner, South Carolina’s opening contest could have an unusually significant effect on the race.
A strong result can attract donors, volunteers and media coverage. A weak performance can rapidly undermine a candidate’s ability to continue.
First Open Democratic Race in Nearly 20 Years
Democrats have not held a genuinely open presidential primary without an incumbent or dominant frontrunner in almost two decades.
The calendar decision is therefore among the first important milestones in what could become a contentious two-year competition for the nomination.
Potential candidates will likely begin investing staff, money and time in South Carolina well before voting begins.
Republicans Expected to Retain Traditional Order
The Republican Party has not finalized its 2028 nominating calendar.
Republicans are expected to retain their traditional opening contests, beginning with Iowa and New Hampshire.
That would leave the two major parties starting their presidential selection processes in different states and with different priorities.
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