South Carolina Democrats aim to uphold their "first to vote" primary position in 2028 elections
The Democratic Party is gearing up for the 2028 presidential primary, with South Carolina making a strong push to take the lead.
In a recent town hall in Iowa, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona were in attendance, hinting at the growing interest in the 2028 race. Meanwhile, Sen. Jamie Harrison, a former chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party, has expressed his intention to ensure that South Carolina remains first in the nation for the primary.
South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain has emphasised the state's significance as a "proven testing ground" with a diverse range of Democratic voters. This sentiment is shared by four Democratic governors - Wes Moore of Maryland, Tim Walz of Minnesota, Andy Beshear of Kentucky, and Gavin Newsom of California - who have visited South Carolina this year for events with voters.
The DNC is committed to running a fair, transparent, and rigorous process for the 2028 primary calendar. Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin has reaffirmed this commitment, stating that any changes to the primary schedule would be open, transparent, and fair.
South Carolina Democrats are adamant about hosting the first sanctioned primary in the 2028 Democratic presidential race. Spain has highlighted the state's small size and inexpensive media markets as advantages for campaigns.
This push for the first spot on the primary calendar comes after the 2024 Democratic presidential primaries saw a change in the top of the calendar, with Iowa being booted and South Carolina's primary moving to the fore. Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart has expressed concerns about the potential exclusion of Iowa in the 2024 Democratic presidential primary calendar and plans to have "tough and direct conversations" with the DNC.
Any changes to the primary calendar will be initiated by the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee, which will not likely examine this issue for at least another year. National Democrats and party leaders from other states have signalled openness to considering changes, with Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota attending events in New Hampshire in 2025.
Jaime Harrison argues that South Carolina deserves the first-in-the-nation spotlight in an open race, after Biden's potential re-election in 2024. So far, no states have officially stepped forward with a bid to take over South Carolina's first-in-the-nation status on the Democratic presidential calendar for 2028.
As the Democratic Party navigates the road to the 2028 primary, the race for the first spot on the calendar is shaping up to be a heated contest.
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