The Democratic National Committee has a new leader, but whether South Carolina remains the first state in the Democratic Party’s presidential primary order remains to be seen.
Ken Martin, of Minnesota, was elected Saturday as the new chairman of the DNC, succeeding South Carolina’s Jaime Harrison, who did not run for reelection.
Heading into the election, Martin was noncommittal on who should lead off the party’s presidential nominating process and declined to make promises on the primary calendar.
He instead said during a forum in Charleston ahead of the DNC chair election that decision would be up to the party’s Rules and Bylaws Committee. He repeatedly said he the next chair should not put his “thumb on the scale” for any state, region or candidates.
“It’s not up to the next DNC chair to put their thumb on the scale in any way, shape or form. It’s not one person’s decision. It is the party’s decision,” Martin said. “Any state that wants to have their voice heard and make a bid for this will be heard.”
“Second, the calendar we put forward has to be rigorous, it has to be efficient and it has to be fair,” Martin said. “It has to battle test our nominees so we win and it has to honor the great diversity of this party, and it has to honor the great traditions of this party.”
Ahead the 2024 cycle, President Joe Biden called on the party to move South Carolina to the front of the line as a nod to state’s Black voting population, a traditional Democratic voting bloc.
After losing the first three nominating contests in 2020, Biden won the South Carolina Democratic Presidential Primary propelling him to the nomination and the White House.
The state also touts how it has less expensive media markets to allow candidates who aren’t as well funded to compete. South Carolina also puts emphasis on southern voters and rural voters.
Even though Martin would not commit to keeping South Carolina as the official presidential primary kickoff, he received support from Democrats in Palmetto State.
He was endorsed ahead of Saturday’s vote by U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, the lone Democrat in the South Carolina federal delegation, as well as South Carolina Democratic Party Chairwoman Christale Spain.
“Ken Martin has demonstrated a deep understanding of what it takes to build a strong, inclusive Democratic Party from the ground up,” Spain said.
