Electoral systems

DNC Sets 2028 Primary Calendar, South Carolina Goes First

Is this a bold step toward diversity or a costly mistake that abandons the Midwest?

Published AUG 17

DNC Sets 2028 Primary Calendar, South Carolina Goes First

Story

Above: Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin on May 29. Image credit: Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune/Getty Images

The Facts

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) voted Saturday to approve its 2028 presidential primary calendar, with South Carolina set to hold the first contest on Jan. 22, 2028.
Politico
The Epoch Times
Nevada will hold the second contest on Feb. 1, followed by New Hampshire on Feb. 8, New Mexico on Feb. 15, Michigan on Feb. 22 and Virginia on Feb. 29, completing a six-week sprint of early primaries.
LiveNOW from FOX
Just The News
The new calendar removes Iowa, which had led the Democratic nominating process from 1972 to 2020, and New Mexico from the early lineup following Iowa's troubled 2020 caucuses, when a flawed vote-reporting system delayed results for days.
The Hill
The Epoch Times
The DNC said the early window includes 4.6 million Black voters and 4.2 million Latino voters. DNC Chair Ken Martin said that the new calendar reflects "the diversity of America" and that the 2028 Democratic nominee will be "best positioned to take back the White House in 2028."
NBC News
The Epoch Times
Ken Martin on X
It remains to be seen how this will impact New Hampshire, which has a state law requiring it to hold its primary before any similar contest. The DNC has said that it's not bound by individual state laws.
CNN
Al Jazeera

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

This is exactly what the party needs. South Carolina going first forces candidates to earn support from Black voters, Latino voters and union members who are the backbone of Democratic victories. A calendar that reflects America's diversity is a smarter path to the White House than one dominated by nearly all-white electorates.

John W. McCarthy on X

Robert Garcia on X

MS Now

Narrative B

This calendar abandons the Midwest entirely and also lessens the power of New Hampshire, which features a small, purple-state model that uniquely forces candidates to earn votes face-to-face, a rigor no shortcut can replace. Excluding Iowa also hands Republicans a giant media advantage when they hold their own first-in-the-nation caucus there in 2028.

KIMT News 3

NH Democratic Party

Republican narrative

This undemocratic decision to draw a calendar that favors voters who meet a certain demographic and that the party believes are more important is going to create more Democratic infighting — and it's an absolute opening for the GOP. Putting in the fix for an establishment candidate will likely further damage the party and leave an opening for Republicans.

Gina Beana Fofina on X