A new crop of Democratic early-state kingmakers rises for 2028
Expect to hear a lot more from New Mexico’s delegation.
A new wave of Democratic politicians from early-primary states are gaining influence as they prepare for the 2028 presidential race. Lawmakers such as Rep. Jim Clyburn, Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, Steven Horsford, and Maggie Goodlander are set to play a crucial role in shaping party strategy. In a bold move, Democrats have decided to move New Mexico to the fourth spot in the primary calendar, right after South Carolina, Nevada, and New Hampshire, which will bring increased prominence and sway to their congressional delegations. Other early-primary states like Michigan and Virginia will follow suit.
Democratic lawmakers from the early-primary states are eager to showcase their unique challenges and concerns to presidential hopefuls. For instance, Rep. Fernández hopes that candidates will pay attention to issues like housing, childcare, and elder care in her district. Rep. Horsford emphasized that candidates must understand the concerns of working-class people and address healthcare, housing, and childcare.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Rep. Gabe Vasquez, who highlighted housing, water, and immigration as the top issues for candidates to address in New Mexico.
The new primary calendar also presents opportunities for Democrats in competitive Senate races, such as New Hampshire, where Rep. Chris Pappas is facing former Sen. John Sununu. Senator Ben Ray Luján welcomed visits from Democratic presidential candidates, emphasizing the unique issues in New Mexico, including water, public lands, and national laboratories. He also cautioned candidates against feeling pressured to choose between the state's famous green and red chiles.
Democrats in early-primary states hope to benefit electorally from the visits of 2028 candidates, hoping to energize their base and broaden their appeal to a more diverse electorate. However, not all Democrats are in agreement with the new calendar, as seen in New Hampshire, where state law mandates the first primary to take place there.
Written by urgent.news from Semafor's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
