South Carolina is set to remain the first Democratic presidential primary state after a key panel’s recommendation. This decision maintains the prominent position of Black voters in the calendar.
Background
The Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws panel voted on Friday, concluding months of aggressive organizing by several states seeking the coveted first-in-the-nation spot for 2028. The panel also voted to allow Nevada, Michigan, and New Hampshire to hold early primaries, with two more states expected to be added.
The full DNC will consider the proposed slate at its August meeting. The debate centered on balancing the acknowledgment of Black voters, the party’s most loyal members, with outreach to Latino voters, who drifted away from Democrats in 2024.
South Carolina’s push was led by its two RBC members, state party chair Christale Spain and DNC member Carol Fowler, along with high-profile allies like former DNC chair Jaime Harrison and US Rep. Jim Clyburn. They argued that the party should reaffirm its commitment to Black voters, given their weakened electoral power due to redistricting and a Supreme Court decision that weakened the Voting Rights Act.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
