South Carolina Democrats Seek to Reconnect with Voters Ahead of 2028 Primary

Party activists discuss the need for authenticity, shared values, and community-building to win in the crucial state.

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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As the 2028 Democratic presidential primary looms, South Carolina Democrats gathered in Charleston to discuss how the party can better connect with voters in the state, which often plays a pivotal role in determining the nominee. Attendees argued that extensive policy proposals are less important than candidates focusing on authenticity, shared values, and building a sense of community through events like happy hours and post-church brunches.

Why it matters

South Carolina's Democratic primary is likely to be an important early contest in 2028, and the views of the party's activists and strategists in the state carry significant weight. Understanding how they think the party should approach campaigning in South Carolina provides valuable insight into the priorities of a key voting bloc.

The details

At the Charleston event, Democratic lawmakers and political strategists discussed the party's struggles to connect with voters in the state. They argued that candidates should focus less on detailed policy proposals and more on memorable messaging that speaks to shared values. Attendees also emphasized the importance of engaging voters through community-building events like happy hours and post-church brunches, particularly with key constituencies like Black women. There was also a recognition that Democrats need to do more to counter Republican efforts to portray the party as out-of-touch with values like faith and hard work.

  • The Charleston event took place last week.
  • The 2028 Democratic presidential primary is likely to be an important early contest.

The players

Richie Gergel

Leads a group called the Peninsula Democrats, which is focused on engaging younger voters and transplants in Charleston.

Representative Jake Auchincloss

Chair of Majority Democrats, an organization that includes a number of prominent center-left politicians.

Scott Harriford

A Democratic strategist.

State Representative Spencer Wetmore

A South Carolina Democratic lawmaker.

Jalisa Washington-Price

A Democratic strategist.

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What they’re saying

“Somebody made a comment to me that the Democratic Party sounds like A.I., but dumber.”

— Richie Gergel, Leads the Peninsula Democrats (Charleston event)

“We have a plan for everything. It's, you know, 30 bullet points and very detailed. But it needs to be boiled down into quick sound bites that can be easily repeated.”

— Scott Harriford, Democratic strategist (Charleston event)

“Create a community around shared values first. I don't want to hear any policy proposals. I don't want to hear about your plan.”

— State Representative Spencer Wetmore (Charleston event)

“We are a joy-filled people. We understand we go through hardships, but we want to believe in something. We're a religious state. We want to have faith in something. And faith in things requires joy, requires optimism and a sense that tomorrow will be better. And I think any candidate that leads with that is going to do well in South Carolina.”

— Brady Quirk-Garvan, Democratic strategist (Third Way strategy summit)

What’s next

The order of the 2028 Democratic primary contests has not yet been determined, but South Carolina is a favorite to vote in an early window, potentially giving its voters an outsize role in selecting the party's nominee.

The takeaway

To succeed in South Carolina's Democratic primary, presidential candidates will need to focus less on detailed policy proposals and more on authentically connecting with voters through shared values, community-building, and a message of optimism and faith in the future. Failing to do so risks ceding the state to Republicans who have been effective at portraying Democrats as out-of-touch.