The Democratic National Committee's Rules Committee voted in favor of South Carolina being the first Democratic primary in 2028, with 26 votes, surpassing Nevada's 19 and New Hampshire's 4. The decision was influenced by the state's significant African American population and its role in reviving Joe Biden's presidential campaign in 2020. Two Puerto Ricans on the committee, Luis Dávila Pernas and Melisa López Franzen, voted in favor of Nevada.
A state needed at least 25 votes to win the first primary spot. The committee still needs to select five more states for early primaries in the 2028 calendar, with Nevada, New Hampshire, and Michigan already chosen. Dávila Pernas has expressed his support for Puerto Rico to be selected for a primary on Super Tuesday in 2027.
The decisions made will need to be ratified at the DNC assembly on August 12.