California Gov. Gavin Newsom made his fourth trip to South Carolina in four years with a Friday stop in Aiken, part of a swing through six South Carolina counties that were carried by Donald Trump in 2024.
Newsom’s tour also included stops in West Columbia, Dorchester and Lancaster, with Thursday stops in Hardeeville and St. Helena Island, and additional stops in Lexington County. The visit came as part of a broader push ahead of the 2028 Democratic presidential primary. Newsom has raised $370,000 over the past year to help keep the South Carolina Democratic Party’s headquarters operational.
During the swing, Newsom met with students at Allen University alongside state Rep. Jermaine Johnson, the Democratic candidate for governor.
The visit lands as South Carolina has become the first state to hold a presidential primary for the Democratic Party, with the Democratic National Committee setting South Carolina’s primary for Jan. 22, 2028, as the leadoff contest. Only six states are permitted to hold their nominating contests before Super Tuesday on March 7, 2028.
Newsom is not alone in making the trip. Other Democrats weighing 2028 ambitions have already come through South Carolina, including Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and California Rep. Ro Khanna. Pete Buttigieg headlined the South Carolina Democratic Party’s Spratt Issues Conference in Florence.
South Carolina’s early spot on the calendar carries weight beyond symbolism: the last three Democratic presidential nominees — Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden — all won the state’s primary on their way to the nomination.
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