Democrats Move to Finalize 2028 Nominating Schedule
The Democratic Party is gearing up to finalize its nominating schedule for the 2028 presidential election. Ken Martin, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), is advocating for a subcommittee to swiftly select an early primary voting slate, which will be presented to the full DNC next month.
“I firmly believe, as your national chair, that making this decision now, before there can be any accusations of impartiality, is critically important,” Martin stated in a recent address. “The integrity of this work must be our highest standard, and that means getting this done.”
Martin cautioned that postponing the selection could lead to a decision being made only after the midterm elections in 2026.
“Our rules require the full DNC to vote to ratify the rules while waivers are approved by this committee,” Martin explained. “If this isn’t concluded in time for our meeting in Austin in a few weeks, our next chance for approval wouldn’t be until early next year, by which point candidates would have already entered the race.”
Several DNC members echoed the sentiment that the subcommittee needs to act quickly, particularly to beat presidential candidates announcing their intentions after the midterms in November.
“We absolutely should decide tomorrow. Can’t be kicking the can down the road. I’m so tired, let’s just decide,” suggested DNC member Kenny Thompson Jr. “They put us here to decide. So let’s just decide.”
“We’re not talking about choosing between 50 states,” Thompson continued. “We’re talking about choosing between like seven … So like, how hard could it be?”
According to the Associated Press, the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee is expected to finalize the schedule on Friday, although it will still need to be ratified by the full committee, likely during their meeting in August.
There is talk of a significant shift in the traditional primary calendar, with either South Carolina or Nevada potentially going first, instead of Iowa.
This shift seems aimed at better representation of racially diverse voters, especially Black and Latino electorates, given that Iowa and New Hampshire have predominantly White populations that have led the calendar for years.
“I think that it is good that we don’t take the order for granted, and just copy and paste it every cycle,” remarked Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who is considered a contender for the 2028 race.
Nevada is also advocating to take the lead in the nominating process, highlighting its significant Hispanic population, Black voters, and the Culinary Workers Union, which would serve as an early barometer for essential Democratic constituents.
“If you want a robust indicator of what the American electorate will be like, that will put us in the strongest position for a primary candidate, I think it’s pretty clear that Nevada should be first,” stated Nevada State Representative Susie Lee (D-Nev.) earlier this week.
