Democrats set South Carolina as first 2028 presidential primary state, with five others in early window

South Carolina edged Nevada for the lead-off spot after months of intense lobbying by both states, as well as by New Hampshire and Iowa. The panel cited two converging considerations in favor of South Carolina: the desire to prioritize Black voters — nearly one in four registered South Carolina voters are Black, according to state voting data — and concerns that Nevada's grace period for counting late-arriving mail ballots could delay results and create uncertainty at the start of the nominating process.

The Supreme Court's ruling earlier this year that significantly restricted the Voting Rights Act, which triggered redistricting in multiple states, featured prominently in arguments for South Carolina. South Carolina Democratic Party chair Christale Spain told the committee, "The South is not the past, we are the future," and said the party needed to demonstrate a real investment in the region. Supporters of Nevada, backed by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, argued the western battleground state's electorate of Latino, Black, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and working-class voters made it the stronger choice.

The finalized order — South Carolina on Jan. 22, Nevada on Feb. 1, New Hampshire on Feb. 8, New Mexico on Feb. 15, Michigan on Feb. 22, and Virginia on Feb. 29 — drew frustration from Midwestern members. DNC member Debbie Dingell said the placement of Michigan fifth departed from a months-long plan to give each of the four major regions a slot in the first four contests. Politico reported that a mid-September deadline for states to move their primary dates caught some members off guard and contributed to Michigan's lower placement; Nebraska Democratic Party chair Jane Kleeb said, "We all thought we had until Jan. 15."