South Carolina First: DNC Approves 2028 Primary Calendar

The Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee voted on Friday to recommend a dramatically reshaped 2028 presidential primary calendar that places South Carolina first, demoting long-standing early-voting states Iowa and New Hampshire and reflecting the party’s strategic pivot toward a more diverse electorate.

The proposed calendar, which requires ratification by the full DNC at its August 13-15 meeting in Austin, Texas, would begin with South Carolina on January 22, 2028, followed by Nevada on February 1, New Hampshire on February 8, New Mexico on February 15, Michigan on February 22, and Virginia on February 29. Super Tuesday is set for March 7. Only six states will be permitted to hold contests before that date, a change from the traditional four-state early window.

A Historic Shift From Tradition

For decades, Iowa’s caucuses and New Hampshire’s primary held the first and second positions in the Democratic nominating process — a tradition increasingly criticized for giving outsized influence to two predominantly white, rural states that did not reflect the party’s diverse coalition. The 2020 Iowa Democratic caucuses, plagued by technical failures that delayed results for days, accelerated calls for reform.

President Joe Biden had already disrupted that tradition in 2024, pushing successfully to elevate South Carolina to the first position after his 2020 campaign was revived by a decisive victory there. As NPR reports, Friday’s vote cements that change for the next cycle, making South Carolina the lead-off state for the second consecutive presidential election.

The Case for a Diverse Electorate

The DNC’s selection criteria emphasized diversity, competitiveness, affordability for candidates, and administrative capacity. According to the DNC’s official press release, the early window states collectively contain 4.6 million Black people, 4.2 million Latinos, 1.4 million Asian American and Pacific Islander residents, and 370,000 Native Americans — significant increases from the previous calendar’s demographic makeup.

Nearly one in four registered voters in South Carolina is Black, and according to AP Vote Cast data, 83% of Black voters nationwide backed former Vice President Kamala Harris in the last presidential election.

Voices From the Debate

DNC Chair Ken Martin defended the calendar as a strategic necessity. “This calendar will battle test our candidates, ensure our nominee can appeal to broad swaths of the electorate and this calendar will allow voters, not money, but voters to be the ultimate decider,” he said, as reported by AP News.

Christale Spain, chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party, framed the decision as forward-looking. “The South is not the past, we are the future,” she told NPR. “And if we are serious about changing this country, Democrats have to start winning in the South.”

Jaime Harrison, former DNC chair, emphasized the symbolic importance of the move. “I think we needed a strong statement to say to the most loyal members of our party, which are Black voters, that we’re going to stand up with you,” he told AP.

Backlash From Displaced States

The decision was not without controversy. The vote was described as narrowly favoring South Carolina over Nevada, with some committee members arguing the Western state offered a better combination of diversity and electoral competitiveness. As NOTUS reported, the final tally reflected intense behind-the-scenes negotiations.

Rita Hart, chair of the Iowa Democratic Party, called the process “very messy” and a sign that the national party is “out of touch with voters.” New Hampshire’s congressional delegation — Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan — issued a joint statement declaring the decision “wrong for Democrats, wrong for New Hampshire, and wrong for the country.”

New Hampshire state law requires its secretary of state to schedule the presidential primary at least seven days before any other state holds a similar contest, setting up a potential direct conflict with the DNC calendar. State party chair Ray Buckley signaled defiance, telling the committee that state law supersedes the party’s schedule.

Enforcement and Uncertainties

The ABC News report notes that the RBC approved potential penalties for states that hold contests outside the designated order, including barring candidates from DNC-approved debates. However, DNC Chair Ken Martin acknowledged uncertainty about enforcement, saying the party will “have to cross that bridge when we get to it” when asked about noncompliant states.

An Open Primary Like No Other

The 2028 Democratic primary will be the first open contest without an incumbent president in nearly two decades. With no clear front-runner, the order of early states could significantly shape which candidates gain momentum, attract donors, and emerge as viable contenders. Republicans, meanwhile, have indicated they plan to keep Iowa and New Hampshire in the first positions, as they did in 2024.

What to Watch For

The full DNC is expected to vote on ratifying the proposed calendar at its summer meeting in mid-August. If approved, the calendar will fundamentally reshape how Democratic presidential candidates are nominated — and test whether a more diverse early-state lineup produces a nominee who can win back the White House.

RBC Co-Chairs Minyon Moore and James Roosevelt, Jr., expressed confidence in the committee’s work: “The Rules and Bylaws Committee has proposed a rigorous, fair, and efficient calendar that will win Democrats back the White House in 2028.”