Democrats finalise 2028 primary calendar, drop Iowa, add Nevada, New Mexico

The Democratic National Committee has finalised its 2028 presidential primary calendar, keeping South Carolina first and adding Nevada and New Mexico early while dropping Iowa entirely, timesnownews.com reports. South Carolina will vote on January 22, followed by Nevada on February 1, New Hampshire on February 8, New Mexico on February 15, Michigan on February 22, and Virginia on February 29.

The decision to frontload Nevada and New Mexico reflects the party's focus on Latino voters, a demographic where President Trump made gains in 2024. DNC Chair Ken Martin called it the most diverse calendar in party history, designed to test the eventual nominee against key segments of the coalition. The vote came during a tense midterm primary season marked by division between progressive and moderate candidates. Martin told the DNC women's caucus the party remains a big tent. The November midterm elections will decide control of Congress.