WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� South Carolina was selected Friday to once again lead off the Democratic Party鈥檚 , cementing a dramatic break from decades of tradition by leaving Iowa out of the early-state lineup altogether and elevating more racially diverse states.
The decision by the Democratic National Committee鈥檚 Rules and Bylaws Committee will need to be approved by the full organization, which is scheduled to meet in August.
Nevada is expected to follow South Carolina, with New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan and Virginia rounding out the early-state calendar. Those states will wield outsized influence in the nominating contest before Super Tuesday, when voters across a large group of states cast presidential primary ballots.
鈥淭his calendar will battle test our candidates, ensure our nominee can appeal to broad swaths of the electorate and this calendar will allow voters, not money, but voters to be the ultimate decider,鈥� DNC Chair Ken Martin said after the vote.
The overhaul reflects Democrats鈥� effort to give greater influence to states that better mirror the party鈥檚 diverse coalition, particularly Black and Latino voters, after years of a calendar led by Iowa and New Hampshire, two states with overwhelmingly white electorates.
But hopes of emerging from Friday鈥檚 meeting with a party unified around one map were dashed by anger from states that had previously led the process. Rita Hart, chair of the Iowa Democratic Party, said she was disappointed but not surprised by Friday鈥檚 calendar vote, which she called 鈥渧ery messy鈥� and a sign that the national party is 鈥渙ut of touch with voters.鈥�
There was more angst in New Hampshire, where the secretary of state is required by law to schedule its presidential primary at least seven days before any other state holds a similar contest, setting up a potential conflict with the DNC calendar.
鈥淭he Democratic National Committee鈥檚 decision today is wrong for Democrats, wrong for New Hampshire, and wrong for the country,鈥� said a group of congressional leaders in New Hampshire, including Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan.
Democrats elevate more diverse states
Democrats opted to lead with South Carolina after President Joe Biden successfully to the front of Democrats鈥� 2024 calendar after the state revived his struggling 2020 presidential campaign. South Carolina has long been the first Southern contest and has served as a key test of candidates鈥� support among Black voters.
Jaime Harrison, a former DNC chair in attendance Friday, told The Associated Press after the vote that keeping his home state first on Democrats鈥� nominating calendar signaled to Black voters the value they bring to the party, especially after a Supreme Court decision aimed at weakening their voting power.
鈥淚 think we needed a strong statement to say to the most loyal members of our party, which are Black voters, that we鈥檙e going to stand up with you,鈥� said Harrison, who also chaired South Carolina’s Democratic Party. 鈥淚t was just really important for us to stand up and say, 鈥橶e see you, we hear you, but most importantly, we鈥檙e gonna fight like hell for you. And your voices are important.’鈥�
Much of Friday’s debate stood as a contrast on several fronts. South Carolina proponents argued they had the experience to stand up a lead-off primary, and served as a showcase for the Black voters whose support has become vital for Democrats.
鈥淏lack voters didn’t just show up for this party in 2020. They saved us,鈥� Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb said, in making her argument for South Carolina. “They saved our entire country from Donald Trump.鈥�
Nevada’s supporters, meanwhile, portrayed their state as the party’s future, in which they argued Latino voters play a larger and larger role.
鈥淲e are the battleground state,” said Artie Blanco of Nevada, a DNC vice chair. “We win elections because we leave no voter untouched.鈥�
Republicans still need to do their calendar. They鈥檙e expected to stick with their traditional early-state lineup led off by Iowa and New Hampshire.
Anger emerges from states that are not selected
Iowa has long led both parties’ calendars with caucuses. Hart declined to say whether Iowa Democrats will in 2028. She said they will wait until after the state鈥檚 when Democrats hope to make recently unattainable gains in the increasingly conservative state.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to win elections here, and then we鈥檙e going to tell them what we鈥檙e going to do,鈥� said Scott Brennan, who formerly represented Iowa on the DNC鈥檚 Rules and Bylaws Committee.
New Hampshire Democrats similarly would not commit Friday to following the new calendar.
鈥淭his committee鈥檚 vote does not change the realities governing New Hampshire鈥檚 primary, which are beyond the control of both this committee and our state party,鈥� said New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley.
Asked about some states not committing to the new calendar, Martin said the party will 鈥渉ave to cross that bridge when we get there.鈥�
鈥淲e got some time, and the calendar was just set here,鈥� said Martin.
The new map will shape the opening stage of what is expected to be a crowded Democratic presidential primary. Without an incumbent or clear front-runner, the states that vote first could once again play an outsized role in determining which candidates gain momentum, attract donors and emerge as viable contenders.
The calendar decision is one of the first milestones in what’s expected to be a tumultuous two-year sprint to the Democratic nomination.
There has not been a truly open Democratic presidential primary 鈥� without an incumbent president or a dominant front-runner 鈥� in almost two decades.
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Holly Ramer in Concord, N.H., and Hannah Fingerhut in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed reporting.
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Kinnard reported from Columbia, S.C., and can be reached at
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