DNC committee sets up South Carolina to vote first in Democrats’ 2028 presidential primaries - NBC News

What the report says

NBC News reports that South Carolina is positioned to open the Democratic Party’s 2028 presidential nominating calendar after the Democratic National Committee’s rules committee voted Friday to keep the state first. The recommendation is expected to go to the full DNC at its summer meeting next month. Under the proposed schedule, South Carolina would vote Jan. 22, followed by Nevada on Feb. 1, New Hampshire on Feb. 8, New Mexico on Feb. 15, Michigan on Feb. 22 and Virginia on Feb. 29.

The decision follows months of competition among states seeking early influence in the nominating process. Nevada and New Hampshire also pushed to lead the calendar, but the committee placed them second and third. Iowa, once the traditional first contest for both major parties, would remain outside the early Democratic window after the party moved away from it following the troubled 2020 caucuses.

NBC describes the calendar as part of a broader Democratic effort to put more racially diverse electorates earlier in the process. South Carolina’s Democratic electorate is heavily shaped by Black voters, while Nevada supporters emphasized its Latino, Black, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, and working-class voters. Party figures from South Carolina argued that beginning in the Deep South would highlight Black voters’ role in the Democratic coalition, while Nevada backers said their battleground state better reflects voters Democrats need to win back.

The plan could still create conflict with New Hampshire, where state law calls for the first presidential primary. NBC reports the DNC is also expected to adopt tougher penalties for states that break the approved calendar, including loss of delegates, fines and debate restrictions for candidates who campaign in unsanctioned contests.