The Democratic National Committee's newly approved primary calendar appears structured to systematically disadvantage progressive candidates in 2028, according to analysis from former NBC News host Chuck Todd.
Todd dissected the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee decision on Monday's episode of "The Chuck ToddCast," examining the sequence of early contests: South Carolina first, followed by Nevada, New Hampshire, Michigan and New Mexico, with Virginia last.
"The more I study this map, the more I think this calendar is intended to make life harder for an insurgent progressive," Todd said, adding: "whether intentionally or simply by consequence—though I don't think there's any accidents in presidential politics."
The RBC's decision to lock South Carolina into the first position explicitly breaks with the state's previous scheduling arrangement. According to Axios, at least one RBC member characterized the move as a mechanism to "shut down" a progressive candidate early in the process. The same insider told the outlet that "the public is swinging left, and the establishment is trying to fight the winds of change."
Todd noted that progressive forces would have fared substantially better if Wisconsin or Iowa had been included in the early primary window. These states have demonstrated progressive voter bases and organizational infrastructure.
"If I were to create a calendar that was going to do two things—make it much harder for a progressive to get the nominee and much harder for progressives to say the calendar was designed to stop a progressive from getting the nomination—this is the calendar I would come up with," Todd stated.
New Hampshire Democratic Party chair Ray Buckley questioned the committee's judgment Friday, citing the state's "proven track record of testing our candidates with a rigorous, fair, and efficient process." He added: "Today's vote shows that many party insiders have learned nothing from 2024."
South Carolina Democratic Party chair Christale Spain defended the decision, arguing that progressives underestimate the South's political potential. "I hate that the narrative kind of seems like 'Well, a progressive can't win in the South,'" Spain said. She noted that retail politics could shift South Carolina's dynamics and suggested that someone like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez could "absolutely" win there. Spain worked on Bernie Sanders' 2016 campaign.
Todd noted that while a progressive might secure 20 percent of the vote in South Carolina—enough for second place in Sanders' previous runs—such a figure becomes increasingly problematic as the calendar advances.
The DNC did not respond to requests for comment on Todd's analysis.
What remains unclear is whether this calendar will ultimately achieve its apparent purpose. The 2024 cycle demonstrated that Democratic primary voters can resist establishment pressure. But the calendar itself represents a deliberate attempt to constrain voter agency before it can organize effectively.
