Former NBC News host Chuck Todd stated on his podcast, "The Chuck ToddCast," that the Democratic National Committee's (DNC) primary calendar appears designed to complicate the path for a progressive candidate in the 2028 election. He noted that the sequence of states, starting with South Carolina and ending with Virginia, may not favor progressive electorates. Todd suggested that including states like Wisconsin or Iowa could have been more beneficial for progressives.
The DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee recently voted to maintain South Carolina as the first primary state, alongside Nevada, New Hampshire, Michigan, Virginia, and New Mexico in the early voting window. Some progressives expressed frustration with this decision, arguing that it could hinder a progressive candidate's chances early in the race.
A member of the RBC indicated that the calendar might not align with the public's leftward shift, while South Carolina Democratic Party chair Christale Spain countered that a progressive could succeed in the South with effective retail politics. Todd remarked that the calendar could potentially benefit a progressive candidate if multiple moderate candidates split the moderate vote.
New Hampshire's National Democratic Party chair Ray Buckley criticized the DNC's decision, emphasizing the importance of winning general elections and the need for the party to focus on the challenges facing the working class.