{"id":17432,"date":"2026-07-26T04:12:38","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T23:12:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=17432"},"modified":"2026-07-26T04:12:38","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T23:12:38","slug":"dnc-committee-sets-up-south-carolina-to-vote-first-in-democrats-2028-presidential-primaries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=17432","title":{"rendered":"DNC committee sets up South Carolina to vote first in Democrats\u2019 2028 presidential primaries"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p id=\"anchor-b6d324\" class=\"body-graf\">South Carolina is poised to hold the first Democratic presidential nominating contest in 2028 after the Democratic National Committee\u2019s powerful rules committee voted to keep the state at the front of the line.<\/p>\n<p><button class=\"styles_subscriptionCTA__LOUeY\" id=\"subscriptionCTA\" type=\"button\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,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\" alt=\"NBC News Icon\" class=\"styles_icon__wRwWv\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"styles_textWrapper__vxvko\">\n<p class=\"styles_text__daaVB styles_textLarge__qlzwu\">Subscribe to read this story ad-free<\/p>\n<p class=\"styles_text__daaVB\">Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/rockcms\/2026-01\/arrow-f55fa5.svg\" alt=\"arrow\" class=\"styles_arrow__tnruW\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/button><\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-cab550\" class=\"body-graf\">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.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-a8d7eb\" class=\"body-graf\">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. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-3b1157\" class=\"body-graf\">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, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/2024-election\/iowa-democrats-move-caucus-results-super-tuesday-rcna119222\" target=\"_blank\">when Democrats pushed it back <\/a>after issues with the 2020 caucuses. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-fd4493\" class=\"body-graf\">The new calendar significantly changes the calculus for Democratic presidential candidates, replacing two heavily white states at the top with states with more diverse populations, while still preserving three of the four traditional early state contests. And adding two more states before Super Tuesday means there will be more delegates up for grabs for candidates to win before March. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-031b0c\" class=\"body-graf\">The race to kick off the Democrats\u2019 presidential nominating contest was hard-fought and drawn-out, with states first pitching DNC rules committee members <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/2028-election\/democrats-2028-presidential-primary-calendar-dnc-early-voting-rcna256634\" target=\"_blank\">during a January meeting in Puerto Rico<\/a> and continuing to press hard in the months since.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-ede152\" class=\"body-graf\">The struggle between Nevada and South Carolina turned tense in recent weeks, particularly among some who framed the debate as one between two key pieces of the Democratic Party\u2019s base. Latino voters make up a large portion of the Nevada electorate, and Black voters are the foundation of South Carolina\u2019s Democratic electorate.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-f2986a\" class=\"body-graf\">Key Democrats from both states leaned heavily on DNC members and sought to sway broader public opinion in the party.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-668458\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cWhen South Carolina goes first \u2026 the Deep South goes first, Black voters go first,\u201d South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain said this week during <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/R-Fb8aL5jHk?t=5112\" target=\"_blank\">an interview with political commentator Roland Martin<\/a>. \u201cBlack voters are the backbone of this party, and so we should continue to elevate Black voters\u2019 role in the process, not push it further back.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-b3230f\" class=\"body-graf\">Nevada put on the hard sell too, with a host of lawmakers, Latino groups and influential labor leaders mounting an aggressive lobbying effort. They highlighted the importance of winning over voters in a critical battleground state as Democrats look to rebound from the 2024 election, when President Donald Trump won Nevada.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-5cac14\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cDemocrats keep losing working-class voters because we keep skipping the states where they actually live. To win Nevada, you have to earn Latino voters, Black voters, AANHPI voters, AND white working-class voters \u2014 all at once,\u201d Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, the Democratic nominee for governor, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AaronDFordNV\/status\/2080046835935428629\" target=\"_blank\">wrote on the social media platform X<\/a> this week.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-c8e65e\" class=\"body-graf\">South Carolina Democrats\u2019 effort got a jolt of momentum in the wake of the Supreme Court\u2019s decision to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/supreme-court\/supreme-court-limits-use-race-redistricting-win-republicans-rcna245856\" target=\"_blank\">weaken part of the Voting Rights Act<\/a>, a move that prompted a number of Republican-controlled states to redraw majority-minority districts <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/congress\/congressional-black-caucus-supreme-court-redistricting-decision-rcna344565\" target=\"_blank\">represented largely by Black Democrats<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-86effe\" class=\"body-graf\">The Palmetto State\u2019s supporters repeatedly referenced the Supreme Court decision and the struggle for Black voters in the South to gain voting rights during the Civil Rights Movement.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-0fa8c5\" class=\"body-graf\">Donna Brazile, a rules committee member and former national party chair, emotionally evoked Barbara Jordan, a Black Democratic political icon, and criticized the Supreme Court\u2019s ruling.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-d8c20c\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cIf we believe in the future, the future that Barbara Jordan called us to build,\u201d Brazile said, \u201cwe must begin the 2028 presidential primary season in the South.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-024576\" class=\"body-graf\">Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan, backing South Carolina, told members that \u201cwe need to send a message that we are not abandoning people that have been part of this party, and are being screwed by the Supreme Court,\u201d even as she pushed back on the idea that the vote would elevate South Carolina over the other states in the early window.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-a1319b\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cThere are going to be six states that are first in the country to make sure that every single segment of the Democratic Party, and those we need to bring back, are going to be part of this story,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-b45273\" class=\"body-graf\">The decision marks the latest step in a significant reshuffling of past competitive Democratic presidential contests, with Iowa and New Hampshire long holding the first two contests.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-24ec47\" class=\"body-graf\">But a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/2020-election\/how-iowa-caucuses-fell-apart-tarnished-vote-n1140346\" target=\"_blank\">botched 2020 Iowa caucus<\/a> \u2014 in which a series of technological failures delayed the results \u2014 and a movement among some Democrats to elevate more racially diverse states prompted change in 2024.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-467ac5\" class=\"body-graf\">Then-President Joe Biden pushed the DNC to reshuffle the primary calendar for his re-election year, moving South Carolina to the front of the line four years after it provided the key result for his 2020 primary campaign. The DNC also gave Georgia and Michigan the right to hold their contests during the pivotal early window. Michigan followed through, while Republican lawmakers in Georgia declined to bless the plan.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-61be1b\" class=\"body-graf\">New Hampshire sought to disregard the DNC and hold its Democratic primary in January, with the party initially punishing the state <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/2024-election\/new-hampshires-delegates-democratic-national-convention-rcna149924'\" target=\"_blank\">but ultimately relenting<\/a>, as it regularly has whenever states flout its calendar.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-3700ea\" class=\"body-graf\">New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley criticized the DNC\u2019s decision, noting that state law requires them to hold the first presidential primary.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-a39096\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cToday\u2019s vote shows that many party insiders have learned nothing from 2024,\u201d Buckley said in a statement. \u201cNew Hampshire has a proven track record of testing our candidates with a rigorous, fair, and efficient process, yet those qualities did not prevail. This committee\u2019s vote does not change the realities governing New Hampshire\u2019s primary, which are beyond the control of both this committee and our state party.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-b26fa1\" class=\"body-graf\">The New Hampshire Democratic Party did not immediately respond to a question as to whether it would follow the national party\u2019s wishes or once again hold a rogue contest. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-cbdab1\" class=\"body-graf\">Asked about whether New Hampshire would follow the new rules, DNC Chairman Ken Martin praised Buckley as a \u201cmentor\u201d and the state for its \u201cvery proud tradition of civic participation, engagement in their primary.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-06dceb\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cMy hope is that New Hampshire is still represented in this process,\u201d Martin said, adding that if there are any concerns in the coming months, \u201cwe\u2019ll have to cross that bridge when we get there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-587a6e\" class=\"body-graf\">After South Carolina holds its primary on Jan. 22, Nevada will follow on Feb. 1 and New Hampshire on Feb. 8. Then, candidates will head to New Mexico for the Feb. 15 contest, to Michigan on Feb. 22 and Virginia on Feb. 29. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-27cd66\" class=\"body-graf\">On top of changes to the 2028 calendar, the DNC is expected to adopt stronger punishments for states that choose to flout the party\u2019s approved calendar.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-0f6680\" class=\"body-graf\">Those new punishments would include stripping these states of all delegates, fining the state party $270,000, banning candidates from official party debates if they campaign in unsanctioned contests \u2014 and making it harder for the party to backtrack on or wipe out these penalties later, if a state like New Hampshire does decide to flout the rules and hold an unsanctioned primary. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-ca7cf2\" class=\"body-graf\">Winning the national party\u2019s blessing to hold a nominating contest ahead of Super Tuesday is a big prize for state Democratic Party organizations, given how these early contests have helped to shape the path of modern presidential nominations.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-302f6e\" class=\"body-graf\">Biden\u2019s 2020 campaign may not have ever taken off if not for a big win in South Carolina, where he leaned on his strong relationships with Black voters for a commanding victory after sputtering in Iowa and New Hampshire. Four years prior, Sen. Bernie Sanders\u2019 strong showings in those first two contests sent a powerful signal to a Democratic establishment that had hoped former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would cruise to the nomination.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-9f1659\" class=\"body-graf\">While a dozen states made the pitch to DNC rules committee members over the last few months, some always faced significant practical concerns. States like North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia pitched themselves for early contests, but Democrats would have needed Republican support in the state legislatures to change primary dates.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-bdea40\" class=\"endmark body-graf\">Meanwhile, Republicans are not expected to make substantial changes to their calendar ahead of an open 2028 presidential contest of their own.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>South Carolina is poised to hold the first Democratic presidential nominating contest in 2028 after the Democratic National Committee\u2019s powerful rules committee voted to keep the state at the front of the line. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. The move, recommended by the rules committee&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17433,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_nbcnews-fp-1200-630,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-07\/260723-vote-rs-803aee.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17432","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-hub"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17432","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17432"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17432\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/17433"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17432"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17432"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17432"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}