US Democrats approve revised 2028 presidential primary calendar with South Carolina first

The Democratic National Committee has approved a revised 2028 presidential primary calendar that puts South Carolina first in the party's nominating process. The decision was taken at a meeting in Austin, Texas, and marks a significant change in how Democrats will choose their next presidential nominee. Under the new schedule, Nevada will go second, followed by New Hampshire, with New Mexico, Michigan and Virginia also included in the early sequence.

Sponsored

South Carolina's Democratic primary is scheduled for January 22, 2028, while Nevada is set for February 1 and New Hampshire for February 8. The party's vote formalises a shift that began in the 2024 cycle, when South Carolina was also placed at the front of the Democratic lineup. Party members said the revised order is intended to give greater influence to states with more racial diversity and to better reflect the party's key constituencies.

The change is likely to shape the opening phase of the 2028 race by giving early momentum to candidates who can appeal across a broader coalition of voters. South Carolina has long been an important early contest for Democrats in the southern United States, and the state has a significant Black population. Nevada and New Mexico also bring large Latino or Hispanic populations into the early calendar, which supporters of the change say makes the process more representative of the wider US electorate.

The overhaul also follows years of tension over the order of the early contests. In 2024, New Hampshire held a state-run primary ahead of the party-approved vote in South Carolina, after state officials cited a law requiring the state to be first in the nation. Iowa has also objected to being moved lower in the calendar, warning that the change could send the wrong signal to rural voters.

Sponsored

Those disputes show that the party's effort to reset the nominating map has remained politically sensitive even as leaders push for reform. The new calendar is part of a broader effort by Democrats to reshape the primary process after criticism that the traditional early states did not reflect the diversity of the party or the country. By elevating South Carolina and including Nevada and New Mexico near the start, the DNC is signalling that demographic representation will be a central factor in the 2028 contest.

The move also underscores how party rules can influence which candidates gain visibility, funding and momentum before voting expands to larger states. What remains unclear is how state party officials and local leaders in places such as New Hampshire and Iowa will respond in the months ahead. The early calendar is now set, but past disputes suggest there could still be resistance if states decide to challenge the party's order again.

The practical impact will become clearer as the 2028 campaign approaches and candidates begin to organise around the new sequence.

#DemocraticNationalCommittee #2028presidentialprimary #SouthCarolina #NewHampshire #Nevada

Sponsored