Are Democrats really trying this again?
The Democratic Party took a major step Friday toward reshaping the 2028 presidential election by moving South Carolina to the front of its primary calendar, a decision that could significantly influence who becomes the party’s next nominee.
The move could also provide former Vice President Kamala Harris with an early advantage if she decides to make another run for the White House, thanks to South Carolina’s influential Democratic voting base.
The Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee voted 26-19-4 to recommend South Carolina as the first state to hold a Democratic presidential primary. Nevada finished second, while longtime first-in-the-nation primary state New Hampshire placed third.
The proposal is expected to receive final approval from the full Democratic National Committee next month, officially setting the party’s early voting calendar for the 2028 election.
Democrats Continue Overhauling Their Primary Process
For years, Democratic leaders have argued that the party’s nomination process should begin in states that better reflect the diversity of its national coalition instead of Iowa and New Hampshire, which have traditionally kicked off presidential campaigns.
That effort gained momentum after then-President Joe Biden successfully pushed South Carolina to the front of the calendar ahead of the 2024 election. Biden credited his overwhelming victory in the Palmetto State during the 2020 Democratic primary with reviving his campaign and putting him on the path to securing the nomination.
Supporters of the new calendar say South Carolina’s Democratic electorate more closely mirrors the voters who form the backbone of the party nationwide.
Political observers note that if Harris enters the 2028 race, the state’s large Black Democratic voting bloc could provide an important early boost to her campaign.
Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb emphasized that point while urging committee members to support South Carolina.
“Black voters didn’t just show up for this party in 2020. They saved us. They saved our entire country from Donald Trump.”
Other Democrats argued that recent Supreme Court rulings affecting portions of the Voting Rights Act made it even more important to elevate a Southern state with a large African-American electorate.
New Hampshire Refuses to Give Up First Place
The decision immediately sparked pushback from New Hampshire officials, who insist state law—not the Democratic Party—determines when the state’s presidential primary will be held.
New Hampshire law requires its primary election to take place at least seven days before any similar contest. That requirement allowed New Hampshire to vote ahead of South Carolina in 2024 despite the Democratic Party’s preferred calendar.
Although Biden declined to place his name on New Hampshire’s Democratic primary ballot that year, he still won nearly 64% of the vote through a write-in campaign. The state’s Democratic Party later held a separate contest, allowing its delegates to participate at the party’s national convention.
New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan made clear that the state’s long-standing tradition is not changing.
“New Hampshire will follow its law and 106-year-old tradition of holding the First-in-the-Nation Presidential Primary.”
New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley also criticized the committee’s decision, arguing that party leaders ignored the state’s proven record of successfully testing presidential candidates.
Buckley said Friday’s vote does not override New Hampshire law and predicted the Granite State will continue to hold its primary before every other state.
Early Primary States Could Decide the Nominee
With no Democratic incumbent expected to seek another term and no clear front-runner emerging for 2028, the early primary states are expected to play an outsized role in shaping the race.
Candidates who perform well in the opening contests often receive a surge in fundraising, media coverage, and voter support that can dramatically alter the course of a presidential campaign.
Earlier Friday, the committee also selected Michigan, New Mexico, and Virginia to join South Carolina, Nevada, and New Hampshire as the six states scheduled to vote before Super Tuesday.
Michigan’s selection officially ends Iowa’s 56-year run as the first presidential nominating contest in the Midwest.
Iowa’s standing had already been weakened after the 2020 Democratic caucuses were plagued by technical failures involving a vote-reporting app, delaying results for several days and creating confusion before Pete Buttigieg was ultimately declared the winner.
Republicans Expected to Keep Traditional Calendar
While Democrats appear ready to make significant changes to their nominating process, Republicans are widely expected to stick with the traditional primary schedule.
The GOP is expected to begin its 2028 presidential nomination process with the Iowa caucuses, followed by the New Hampshire primary, preserving the system Republicans have used for decades.
With the Democratic Party preparing to finalize a dramatically different primary calendar, the battle over which states wield the greatest influence in presidential politics is already taking shape years before voters cast their ballots in the 2028 election.
