The Democratic National Committee has approved a new presidential primary calendar for 2028, which will have candidates competing in states with significant Black and Latino populations, as well as union members, early on in the process. South Carolina will be the leadoff state, voting on January 22, 2028, followed by Nevada on February 1.

Early States

New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan, and Virginia will also be among the early states, with voting taking place throughout February. This new calendar is designed to give candidates the best shot at winning back the White House after Republican President Donald Trump’s second term.

Party leaders believe that this new order will allow candidates to prove themselves in front of various communities throughout the country. As DNC Chairman Ken Martin stated, ‘You have to be battle-tested in a way that you already have campaigned in front of and for the support of various communities throughout the country.’

Importance of Labor

The new calendar also highlights the importance of labor in the Democratic Party. Nevada has the service industry unions, Michigan has the auto industry, and Virginia is home to many federal workers. Former presidential candidate Howard Dean noted that ‘labor is still so important’ and that campaigns will look to unions for help in spreading the Democratic message to voters and getting people to the polls.

The new calendar is expected to benefit candidates who can campaign effectively in multiple states and regions. With the expanded calendar, candidates will have more opportunities to cluster their campaigns and reach a wider audience.

Original reporting: NBC4 Los Angeles — read the source article.