Democrats love to tell Americans they’re all about ‘democracy,’ but their actions always speak louder than their words.
Like when the party anointed then-Vice President Kamala Harris to replace then-President Joe Biden as the 2024 nominee, bypassing any semblance of a ‘democratic’ nomination process.
Well, it appears the party is about to repeat that same anti-democracy move – and again, to favor Harris, who donors don’t even want as the party’s 2028 nominee.
The Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee voted Friday to recommend that South Carolina once again hold the first contest on the party’s 2028 presidential primary calendar.
If approved by the full Democratic National Committee next month, the change would continue the party’s revised nominating schedule adopted for the 2024 election cycle.
The recommendation passed by a vote of 26-19, with South Carolina receiving the most support, followed by Nevada and New Hampshire.
Under the proposed calendar, South Carolina would hold its primary on Jan. 22, 2028. Nevada would follow on Feb. 1, New Hampshire on Feb. 8, New Mexico on Feb. 15, Michigan on Feb. 22, and Virginia on Feb. 29.The proposal expands the early primary window to include as many as six states, compared with previous cycles that generally featured four or five early contests.
The recommended lineup includes one state from each major region of the country, along with two additional early-voting states.
The plan builds on changes first implemented during the 2024 Democratic presidential nominating process.
Before then, Iowa had traditionally held the party’s first caucuses since 1972, followed by New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary under state law.
Nevada and South Carolina typically held the third and fourth early contests, but it’s the early South Carolina primary that could benefit Harris, experts say.
South Carolina’s Democratic primary electorate has historically included a large share of black voters, making the state an influential early test of support among one of the party’s most important voting blocs.
Exit polls from recent presidential primaries found that black voters accounted for roughly 55% to 61% of Democratic primary participants, including about 56% in the 2020 contest.
Because of that demographic makeup, South Carolina has often been viewed as an early indicator of a candidate’s strength with black Democratic voters.Harris has historically performed well with that constituency.
Exit polls from the 2024 general election indicated that approximately 86% of black voters supported Harris, while pre-election surveys in several battleground states similarly showed her receiving support in the low-to-mid 80% range among black likely voters.
Political strategists note that a strong showing in South Carolina can generate momentum, favorable media coverage, and increased fundraising heading into the remaining primary contests.
As a result, candidates with broad support among black Democratic voters could benefit from the state’s position at the front of the presidential nominating calendar.
If approved, South Carolina would become the first state on the Democratic presidential primary calendar for the second consecutive election cycle, while Iowa would remain outside the early-voting window.
A dozen states sought consideration for the lead-off position.
Supporters of South Carolina argued that the state offers scheduling certainty because it can reliably set its primary date, has a record of administering orderly elections, and features a Democratic electorate that reflects the key black constituency within the party.
Nevada advocates emphasized the state’s growing Latino population and its importance to the West.New Hampshire supporters highlighted the state’s long tradition of holding the nation’s first presidential primary and its high level of voter engagement, while Iowa proponents pointed to the value of its caucus system and its Midwestern perspective.
Following presentations from the competing state parties and committee debate, the Rules and Bylaws Committee voted to recommend the six-state early primary calendar.
Other potential candidates, such as former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, have polled well with the wider Democratic Party electorate, but have struggled mightily to gain support from black voters.