Democrats clash over which state will kick off the 2028 primary calendar

The Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee approved a six-state early-state lineup for the 2028 presidential nomination, beginning with South Carolina on Jan. 22 and then Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan and Virginia. Nevada’s party officials objected, claiming the state’s growing Latino voting bloc merits the first contest and accusing the decision of favoring South Carolina’s majority-Black electorate.

The clash has been framed in racial and ethnic terms, highlighting the party’s internal divisions as it prepares for a competitive field that may include intra-state matchups such as Gavin Newsom versus Kamala Harris and Jon Ossoff versus Raphael Warnock. While the order of contests can affect momentum and media coverage, past cycles show that broader national dynamics often outweigh the advantage of an early win. Critics argue the dispute is more about symbolic bragging rights and modest economic boosts for host states than about decisive electoral outcomes. Nonetheless, the debate underscores how procedural battles can expose deeper ideological and demographic fault lines within the Democratic Party.