Democrats pick South Carolina for first primary of 2028 in possible boost to Kamala Harris, dethroning Iowa and New Hampshire
Emily Goodin
WASHINGTON — Democrats took a big step Friday toward making South Carolina the first state to hold its presidential primary in the 2028 cycle, potentially handing former Vice President Kamala Harris a big early advantage should she launch a third White House bid.
The Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws panel gave the Palmetto State the nod to go first with 26 votes, followed by Nevada (19 votes) and longtime first-in-the-nation primary state New Hampshire (4 votes).
Friday’s committee vote is expected to be approved next month by the full DNC, formalizing the calendar.
Democratic activists had pushed hard in recent years for more diverse states to go first with their nominating contests rather than predominantly white Iowa and New Hampshire.
Then-President Joe Biden successfully lobbied for South Carolina to lead the calendar in 2024 after his victory there four years earlier propelled him to the Democratic nomination. The predominantly black Democratic primary electorate in that state is expected to favor Harris, the first woman of color to be vice president, should she run again.
“Black voters didn’t just show up for this party in 2020. They saved us,” Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb said in remarks advocating for South Carolina. “They saved our entire country from Donald Trump.”
Other advocates cited a recent Supreme Court decision weakening the 1965 Voting Rights Act as reason to elevate the Southern state’s African-American electorate.
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https://nypost.com/2026/07/24/us-news/south-carolina-picked-for-first-2028-democratic-primary-in-possible-kamala-harris-boost/
