The Democratic National Committee is scheduled to approve a new primary calendar on Saturday, which will likely kick off in states where candidates will need to appeal to key supporters such as Black and Latino voters and union members. South Carolina’s primary would be first on January 22, followed by Nevada on February 1. New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan, and Virginia would round out the early states throughout February.

Primary Calendar Shift

The new calendar is expected to give Democrats the best shot at replacing President Donald Trump. Party leaders have widely praised the plan, saying it will require candidates to show they can appeal to a diverse range of voters. “They have to show that they can go to the South and talk to Black voters and rural voters, as well as out west, talking ranching and mining issues, to a border state, to union members,” said party strategist Karen Finney.

The calendar change may also require fewer parkas for the winters in Iowa, which is out of the top spot, and learning to pronounce Nevada the way the locals do. Former presidential candidate Howard Dean recalled his time as national party chairman, when Democrats solidified Nevada and South Carolina as early states behind Iowa and New Hampshire. The latest change is even better, he said. “These states look more like the country,” as a whole, he said, “whereas Iowa and New Hampshire don’t.”

Organized Labor

The slate covers three major organized labor buckets. Nevada has the service industry unions because of Las Vegas; Michigan has the auto industry and associated manufacturing support industries; Virginia is home to more federal workers than any other state. “Labor is still so important,” Dean said. Beyond seeking members’ votes, campaigns and the party look to organized labor for help in spreading Democrats’ message to voters and getting people to the polls.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.