The Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee is set to approve the party’s 2028 presidential nominating schedule, with the decision requiring full DNC approval at a meeting scheduled for August. The move represents a significant departure from decades of tradition by potentially removing Iowa from its traditional frontrunner position and instead elevating states with more diverse electorates.
Either South Carolina or Nevada is expected to secure the first position on the calendar. South Carolina, which played a pivotal role in reviving President Biden’s 2020 campaign and was moved to the front of the 2024 calendar, has mounted a campaign to retain that status. Democratic leaders from southern states have argued in communications to the DNC that South Carolina best represents the coalition-building playing field needed for presidential candidates. Nevada has waged an equally assertive campaign, contending that it better reflects the modern Democratic coalition through its combination of racial diversity, strong union presence, and battleground-state status, including one of the nation’s largest Hispanic populations and an influential labor movement.
The calendar overhaul reflects Democratic efforts to give greater influence to states mirroring the party’s diverse coalition, particularly Black and Latino voters. However, the decision has generated tension, with Black leaders cautioning against sidelining South Carolina after a single election cycle. Rev. Al Sharpton stated in a message that removing South Carolina quickly after recent praise would signal that Democratic gratitude was performative rather than substantive.
The DNC has indicated plans to select four early states representing different regions, potentially adding a fifth. Illinois, Iowa, and Michigan have submitted bids for the Midwest slot, with Michigan viewed as a leading contender. The calendar decision marks one of the first major milestones in what observers expect to be a competitive Democratic primary race, as the party prepares for its first truly open nomination process in nearly two decades without an incumbent president or clear frontrunner. Republicans are expected to maintain their traditional early-state lineup led by Iowa and New Hampshire.
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