Some progressives reportedly are furious about the Democratic Party's 2028 primary schedule, which appears designed to slow far-left momentum within the party.
A key Democratic National Committee panel voted Friday to make South Carolina the first contest in the party's 2028 presidential nominating calendar, a move that has sparked backlash from progressives who believe party leaders are trying to prevent another Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders-style insurgency.
According to Axios, left-wing Democrats see the decision as an effort by the party establishment to blunt the influence of its socialist wing following a string of contentious 2026 primaries that pitted progressive challengers against more moderate Democrats.
South Carolina edged out Nevada for the coveted leadoff position.
The choice is significant because Sanders dominated Nevada's 2020 caucuses but suffered crushing defeats in South Carolina, where then-candidate Joe Biden revived his presidential campaign with overwhelming support from Black voters.
A member of the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee told Axios that "the public is swinging left, and the establishment is trying to fight the winds of change," and argued the calendar could effectively "shut down" a progressive presidential bid before it gains traction.
Socialist magazine Jacobin writer Branko Marcetic similarly argued on X the "whole rationale is stopping a left-wing insurgent."
South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain rejected that criticism, insisting a progressive candidate such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., "absolutely" could compete in the state if the candidate invested in retail campaigning and grassroots organizing.
The New York Times reported that the preliminary calendar would begin with South Carolina on Jan. 22, followed by Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan, and Virginia before Super Tuesday.
The full DNC must still ratify the proposal next month.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the revised calendar is designed to elevate the influence of Black and Latino voters while shaping what is expected to be a crowded Democrat presidential field that could include former Vice President Kamala Harris, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
The decision also further sidelines New Hampshire, whose Democrats have vowed to defend the state's traditional first-in-the-nation primary despite new DNC penalties for states and candidates that violate the approved calendar.