South Carolina has been selected to hold the first Democratic presidential primary on January 22, 2028. The Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee voted 26 to 19 over Nevada on Friday, cementing a push to prioritize Black voters and leaving Iowa out of the early lineup.
The Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee advanced a new early-state presidential primary calendar on Friday, choosing South Carolina to kick off the contest for the 2028 election cycle. The schedule breaks with decades of tradition by omitting Iowa from the early-state lineup altogether.
Under the recommended calendar, South Carolina will hold its primary on January 22, 2028. Nevada is scheduled to follow on February 1, with New Hampshire on February 8, New Mexico on February 15, Michigan on February 22, and Virginia on February 29.
A Contentious Vote and Regional Divisions
The committee vote was fiercely contested, pitting regional interests, racial constituencies, and party wings against one another. Proponents of Nevada, including Latino advocacy groups and western party members, argued that the state offers a crucial mix of working-class and Latino voters.
Ultimately, however, supporters of South Carolina secured the top spot with 26 votes, while Nevada received 19 and New Hampshire garnered 4. Surrogates and party leaders argued that elevating South Carolina honored a vital constituency.
“Black voters didn’t just show up for this party in 2020. They saved us.”
Jane Kleeb, Nebraska Democratic Party Chair
Supporters also pointed to recent legal developments surrounding voting access. Several Democrats noted that the Supreme Court’s decision in Callais v. Louisiana, which weakened the Voting Rights Act and impacted southern Black representation in Congress, made backing South Carolina an urgent statement of support.
Strategic Consequences and Diluted Influence
Senior political columnist Jonathan Martin noted in analysis for Politico that making South Carolina the absolute first contest rather than the first southern contest risks diluting the decisive leverage the state previously held.
When South Carolina voted later in the primary calendar during past cycles, the field had already narrowed, allowing the state’s electorate to act as a kingmaker, as it did for Joe Biden in 2020.
Defiance from New Hampshire and Iowa
The calendar overhaul immediately sparked friction with state leaders who lost their traditional positions. New Hampshire officials reacted with outrage over being bumped behind Nevada. State law requires New Hampshire’s primary to be held at least seven days before any similar contest.
Meanwhile, Iowa Democrats faced their own snub after being excluded from the early window entirely, weighed down by a lack of diversity and the disastrous counting meltdown during their 2020 caucuses. Rita Hart, chair of the Iowa Democratic Party, called the vote very messy and out of touch with voters.
Next Steps and Full Party Ratification
The recommended calendar is not yet final. The full Democratic National Committee must ratify the plan during a meeting scheduled for August. While adjustments can occur, the core framework is expected to guide candidates as they build their 2028 strategies.
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