Dems to Finalize Nominating Calendar   07/24 06:21

   

   WASHINGTON (AP) -- Democrats are poised to lock in the party's 2028 
presidential nominating schedule on Friday, likely cementing a dramatic break 
from decades of tradition by keeping Iowa off the top of the calendar and 
elevating more racially diverse states.

   Either South Carolina or Nevada is expected to go first, and each state has 
aggressively campaigned for the coveted spot.

   The decision by the Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws 
Committee will need to be approved by the full organization, which is scheduled 
to meet in August.

   The overhaul reflects Democrats' effort to give greater influence to states 
that better mirror the party's diverse coalition, particularly Black and Latino 
voters, after years of a calendar led by Iowa and New Hampshire, two states 
with overwhelmingly white electorates.

   "I think that it is good that we don't take the order for granted, and just 
copy and paste it every cycle," said New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a 
progressive considered a potential 2028 candidate.

   The decision will also shape the opening stage of what is expected to be a 
crowded Democratic presidential primary. Without an incumbent or clear 
frontrunner, 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.

   Republicans still need to do their calendar. They're expected to stick with 
their traditional early-state lineup led off by Iowa and New Hampshire.

   South Carolina and Nevada compete for the top spot

   President Joe Biden successfully pushed to move South Carolin a to the front 
of Democrats' 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' support among Black voters.

   But with Democrats now preparing for a wide-open presidential primary, the 
fight over the calendar has become more contentious.

   In May, Democratic leaders in a handful of southern states lobbied for South 
Carolina to reprise its role as the party's first-in-the-nation contest holder, 
arguing in a letter to the DNC that the state best represents the initial 
playing field for presidential candidates to build the coalitions needed to win 
and serves as "a moral and political compass for our party and our nation."

   Nevada has mounted an equally aggressive campaign, arguing that it better 
reflects the modern Democratic coalition by combining racial diversity, a 
strong union presence and battleground-state status.

   Nevada has one of the nation's largest Hispanic populations, a sizable Black 
electorate and is home to the influential Culinary Workers Union, giving 
candidates an early test with key Democratic constituencies.

   "If you want to have a robust indicator of what an American electorate will 
be like, that will put us in the strongest position to put forth a primary 
candidate, I think it's pretty clear that Nevada should be first," Nevada Rep. 
Susie Lee said this week.

   Black leaders have pushed back, arguing that moving South Carolina aside 
after just one cycle would diminish the power of Black voters in the Democratic 
Party. Roughly one-quarter of South Carolina's population is Black, according 
to the U.S. Census.

   "If South Carolina gets quietly bumped after one cycle of convenient praise, 
that sends a message louder than any speech at a Democratic dinner: the 
gratitude was performance, not policy," Rev. Al Sharpton said in a statement.

   The DNC has opted to select four early states -- one from each region of the 
country -- while also considering whether to add a fifth.

   For the Midwest slot, Illinois, Iowa and Michigan submitted bids. Michigan 
is viewed as a leading contender for the regional position but did not seek the 
first overall spot.

   Order could shape wide-open presidential race

   The calendar decision is one of the first major 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 -- without 
an incumbent president or a dominant frontrunner -- in almost two decades.

   Potential White House hopefuls have already begun laying the groundwork in 
South Carolina. Many have partnered with the state Democratic Party on 
listening tours, appeared alongside influential Rep. Jim Clyburn at his annual 
fish fry, spoken at party fundraisers and held meet-and-greet events with 
activists.

   Michigan has also become an increasingly attractive destination for 
prospective candidates. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg moved to 
the state several years ago and has steadily built political relationships 
there, making an early Michigan primary a potentially significant boost to his 
prospects and those of other candidates focused on battleground states.