Democrats Approve New 2028 Presidential Primary Calendar
3 sources across 2 countries · United States · Qatar · 1 of them is linked to a state
Who reported this
- MS NOW
- CNN
- Al Jazeera
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
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The Democratic National Committee approved a new presidential primary calendar on Saturday during a meeting in Austin, Texas. South Carolina will serve as the first official nominating contest on January 22, 2028. Nevada will follow on February 1, New Hampshire on February 8, New Mexico on February 15, Michigan on February 22, and Virginia on February 29. This schedule formalizes a shift that began in 2024 and removes Iowa from its traditional top spot.
DNC Chairman Ken Martin and other proponents argue that the new calendar is more representative of the racial and socio-economic diversity of the United States. They highlight the significant Black populations in South Carolina and the large Latino populations in Nevada and New Mexico as key to battle-testing a nominee. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez stated that New Mexico reflects the America Democrats need to win.
The changes faced opposition from some party members. Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart argued that the calendar lacks representation for the Midwest and states in the Central or Mountain time zones. Additionally, New Hampshire state law requires its primary to be the first in the nation, which has led to past defiance of party leaders.
While the primary calendar was the main focus, a left-leaning source noted that the DNC also approved resolutions regarding the reform or abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Multiple reports also mentioned internal party tensions, including criticism of Chairman Martin's leadership and concerns regarding the national party's financial health.
How each side framed it
- Left
- This outlet emphasized the empowerment of Black and Brown communities while also highlighting the party's platform resolutions to abolish ICE.
- Centre-left
- These outlets focused on the strategic goal of diversifying the electorate and the internal party struggle between progressives and moderates.
Sources
- Centre-left Al Jazeera: US Democrats finalise major shakeup to 2028 presidential primary calendar
- Centre-left CNN: Democrats adopt 2028 calendar, pushing back Iowa and New Hampshire in favor of more diverse states
- Left MS NOW: It’s official: South Carolina to be first 2028 Democratic presidential primary
100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.