Virginia could move earlier in 2028 Democratic primary calendar

ROANOKE, Va. — The Democratic National Committee is expected to vote next month on a recommendation that would move Virginia earlier in the 2028 presidential primary calendar.

If approved, Virginia’s Democratic primary could be positioned just before Super Tuesday, a placement that would bring candidates, campaign money, and national attention to the commonwealth earlier in the process.

What the recommendation would mean for Virginia

Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones said moving Virginia up in the primary order would give the state a larger role in selecting the party’s next nominee.

“I think it’s a really special opportunity for us to be a part of this process,” Jones said. “For a state like Virginia, the birthplace of democracy, to play a pivotal role in the next round of it in 2028.”

Jones said expectations among those involved are already forming ahead of the official vote.

“It’ll be voted on next month by the DNC officially, so things could move,” Jones said. “But I think my expectation, and from what I heard from other folks in the room, is that we will be sixth, and we will be on February 29th — right before Super Tuesday. So it’ll be a huge springboard, wonderful table-setting opportunity. All eyes will be on Virginia once again.”

How the early-state system works

Virginia Tech professor Cayce Myers said the early-state primary structure is designed to test candidates before the field narrows.

“Really what the primary system is, is a tryout for the candidates,” Myers said. “Also, state by state allows there to be an arc to the campaign, rather than just have one big national primary on a particular day. This allows an evolution in a candidate to see how they perform in different types of contexts.”

Why Virginia, according to Jones

Jones said Virginia’s demographic makeup makes it a stronger indicator of national performance than other early states such as Iowa and New Hampshire.

“I think what makes this special and what makes Virginia appealing is we have a little bit of everything,” Jones said. “We’ve got urban, suburban, rural. We’ve got white, Black, Latino, Asian — every demographic that you could think of. We have military presence and veterans.”

The DNC is expected to take up the recommendation next month. If approved, Virginia would vote earlier in the Democratic primary for 2028.