This website is best viewed in a browser that supports web standards.

Skip to content or, if you would rather, Skip to navigation.

Listen Live
Donate
MARYVILLE

KXCV-KRNW


News Brief

May 13, 2025 |  By: Associated Press

Democratic Nomination Process

Before they can name their next presidential nominee, Democrats will have to decide which state will weigh in first.

In 2022, President Joe Biden forced a shake-up of the 2024 election calendar, moving South Carolina’s primary ahead of contests in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada. Officials in those traditionally four early-voting states are now positioning themselves to get top billing nearly two years before the Democratic National Committee solidifies the order. Others may make a play, too.

It’s a fraught choice for a party already wrestling with questions about its direction after losing November’s White House election to Republican Donald Trump. Each state offers advantages to different candidates and elevates — or diminishes — different parts of the Democratic base.

For now, 2028 prospects are making early-state visits, giving a glimpse into what they may see as their own path to the nomination.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker was the keynote speaker at a dinner last month for New Hampshire Democrats, visiting a majority white state known for its engaged electorate and independent streak. Maryland Governor Wes Moore, the state’s first Black governor, will appear later this month at a similar party event in South Carolina, where Black voters are the party’s most influential voting group.

Pete Buttigieg will join a VoteVets Action Fund gathering in Iowa today, marking the former presidential candidate’s first public in-person event since leaving his post as Biden’s transportation secretary. Buttigieg performed well in the 2020 caucuses, which were marred by technical glitches that prevented the declaration of a winner.