DNC Locks In South Carolina as First 2028 Primary State, Making the 2024 Reorder Permanent

The DNC approved its 2028 presidential primary calendar on August 15, 2026, in Austin. South Carolina leads on January 22, 2028, followed by Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan, and Virginia. The vote converts what began as a one-cycle shift in 2024 into permanent party rules, ending decades of Iowa and New Hampshire dominance.