The 2026 midterms are now over.
That means the 2028 presidential contest on both sides of the political party aisle has officially started.
On Thursday, Democratic Sen. Cory Booker was first out of the gate, announcing two trips to South Carolina this month, starting with a Friday trip to Sumter, where he'll speak at a NAACP banquet.
South Carolina will host the first Democratic presidential nominating contest on Jan. 22, 2028.
The state will stay first-in-the-South, or fourth overall, on the Republican Party's presidential nominating schedule.
Republicans have not picked an exact date yet.
In South Carolina, the 2028 presidential cycle began months ago — maybe even a year ago — as a handful of potential Democratic presidential candidates from governors to U.S. senators and Biden administration officials dotted the early-voting state to help boost turnout for candidates on Election Day.
That included potential names like Booker, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, California Congressman Ro Khanna and Pete Buttigieg, the former transportation secretary in the Biden administration.
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— Election 2026 South Carolina Democrats
U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., left, speaks to attendees at his "World Famous Fish Fry" as U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky look on, on Friday, May 29, 2026, in Columbia S.C.
Meg Kinnard/AP Photo/Meg Kinnard / AP
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Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, marches with folks down Main Street to the King Day at the Dome celebration from Zion Baptist Church to the Statehouse in Columbia Jan. 19, 2026.
Gavin Jackson / SCETV
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U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn speaks to reporters Friday, May 30, 2025, at his fish fry with Democratic Govs. Tim Walz of Minnesota and Wes Moore of Maryland.
DELANEY FLANAGAN
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— Election 2028 Newsom
Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., greets people in a coffee shop during a two-day swing through South Carolina on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in Florence, S.C. (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard)
Meg Kinnard/AP / AP
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Possible 2028 Democratic presidential candidate Arizona U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly and his wife, Gabby Giffords, spoke with voters in Mauldin, S.C., on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026.
MAAYAN SCHECHTER / SCETV
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Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, left, speaks to representatives at the South Carolina AFL-CIO Convention in Greenville, S.C. on Wednesday, July 16, 2025.
GAVIN JACKSON
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— Election 2026 South Carolina Democrats
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., addresses delegates at the South Carolina Democratic Party convention, Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Columbia, S.C.
Meg Kinnard/AP Photo/Meg Kinnard / AP
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— Election 2028 Buttigieg
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg speaks to attendees alongside South Carolina Democratic Party chair Christale Spain at the South Carolina Democratic Party's Spratt Issues Conference on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Florence, S.C.
Meg Kinnard/AP Photo/Meg Kinnard / AP
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— Election 2026 South Carolina Democrats
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., addresses delegates at the South Carolina Democratic Party convention, Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Columbia, S.C.
Meg Kinnard/AP Photo/Meg Kinnard / AP
