Twelve states are aggressively lobbying the Democratic National Committee to host an early 2028 presidential primary, submitting detailed applications that tout their demographic advantages, electoral importance, and logistical merits.
Twelve state Democratic parties have formally applied to hold one of the five coveted early window contests for the 2028 presidential nomination, submitting extensive pitches to the Democratic National Committee that emphasize demographic diversity, electoral competitiveness, and logistical ease, according to application materials reviewed by The New York Times.
States are vying within regional brackets—Nevada and New Mexico in the West; Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia in the South; Illinois, Iowa, and Michigan in the Midwest; and New Hampshire and Delaware in the East—with several, including Iowa and South Carolina, explicitly seeking the first-in-the-nation slot.
The applications reveal pointed arguments, as Delaware contrasted its growing racial diversity with New Hampshire, while Nevada Democrats warned, “We cannot afford to have overwhelmingly college-educated, white, or less competitive states kick off the process,” and Iowa promised to overhaul its caucus system after 2020’s failures.
The DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee will review the submissions this month, weighing factors like each state’s general-election relevance and ability to conduct a smooth primary, with influential supporters like Governors Gretchen Whitmer and J.B. Pritzker and filmmaker Ken Burns adding their endorsements to the contentious selection process.