US: Democratic Party selects South Carolina as first stop in 2028 presidential primaries

The US Democratic Party voted on Saturday in favor of launching the 2028 presidential primaries in states with high minority populations, with voting set to begin in South Carolina and Nevada.

Party Chair Ken Martin said in a statement that the new schedule “truly represents our party and our values and will help us regain the White House in 2028.”

The first primary to select the party’s presidential nominee will be held on January 22 in South Carolina, which has a large African American population, followed by Nevada in February, where Latinos make up more than 30% of the population.

The party affirmed that the new schedule aims to test presidential hopefuls by exposing them to a more diverse voter base, as well as in states that are pivotal in elections.

South Carolina played a crucial role in Joe Biden’s successful campaign to secure the Democratic nomination in 2020.

However, New Hampshire, whose law requires it to hold the first primary, defied the new rules and held its vote before South Carolina.

To avoid a similar scenario, party officials on Saturday decided to tighten penalties for states that do not adhere to the established schedule.

It remains unclear whether New Hampshire and Iowa, whose laws also mandate that their primaries be held early, will comply with the new schedule.

According to US Census data, whites make up more than 90% of New Hampshire’s population of 1.4 million, while they account for 88% of Iowa’s population of 3.2 million.