Buttigieg returns to South Carolina to court the Black voters who stalled his first White House run

A Return to the Scene of a Setback

The last time Pete Buttigieg gave a political speech in South Carolina, it marked a distant finish in the state's primary that effectively ended his 2020 presidential campaign. This weekend, he returned as he considers a second run for the White House, aiming to reintroduce himself to the state and the Black voters he struggled to win over six years ago.

The reception was markedly warmer than in 2020. Buttigieg received a standing ovation in a Black church when he was credited for helping bring millions of federal dollars to the area for a project during his tenure as President Joe Biden's transportation secretary. A second ovation came as he delivered a speech warning of a country in "big trouble" and outlining his vision for the future.

"There is no such thing as again in real life. The only way out is through," Buttigieg told a crowd of more than 200 people at an NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner. "If we recognize and embrace a future that is different from the past, we will do better."

The warm applause stood in sharp contrast to six years ago, when a fourth-place showing in South Carolina helped derail his campaign and exposed his difficulty connecting with Black voters. The state is now poised to play an even greater role in his political future, as it will be the first contest in the Democratic presidential primary in 2028.

The Stakes of the Palmetto State

South Carolina's position as the first primary is intended, in part, to give Black voters a greater voice at the outset of the nominating process. Black voters make up a majority of the state's Democratic electorate, making their support essential for any contender.

"You need to demonstrate that you can win Black voters," said Jaime Harrison, a former Democratic National Committee chair and South Carolina Democratic Party chairman. "If you can't win Black voters, you can't be the nominee of our party."

Buttigieg, who now travels with the title of former transportation secretary, said he remains "totally focused on 2026" and has made no final decision about running for president. His trip included a stop in Nevada a week earlier, and on Friday he raised money in Charleston with Nancy Lacore, a U.S. House candidate trying to flip a Republican-held seat.

On Saturday, he spoke at the South Carolina Democratic Party's Spratt Issues Conference in Florence before traveling to Claflin University in Orangeburg, a nearly three-quarters Black city with a deep history in the Civil Rights Movement. There, he visited with students and local leaders, including Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler, who praised Buttigieg's role in advancing the Railroad Corner project, which received a $22.7 million federal grant.

"He is responsible for the Railroad Corner," Butler said.

A Message of Reform and Voting Rights

In his remarks, Buttigieg argued that Democrats cannot separate economic frustrations from a political system he described as increasingly broken. "I have come to believe that the kitchen table cannot be improved unless we are also reforming the institutional and political floor on which that kitchen table sits," he said.

He also addressed voting rights, describing efforts to weaken the Voting Rights Act as a "multidecade effort" and warning of a push "to demolish African American political power." His comments came against the backdrop of a Supreme Court decision that weakened a core provision of the Voting Rights Act, a development that threatens Black political representation.

Donna Brazile, a former interim DNC chair, also spoke at the conference, emphasizing the need to start the process where democracy must be fought for.

South Carolina Democratic leaders have signaled they want close, personal engagement from candidates, envisioning living-room conversations and retail politics reminiscent of Iowa and New Hampshire. Harrison described Buttigieg's trip as a "good start" but noted the long road ahead.

A Crowded Field and Early Signals

The 2028 race is already taking shape, with several potential contenders eyeing the nomination. Besides Buttigieg, the field could include California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker. Former Vice President Kamala Harris also has deep ties in the state.

Buttigieg's standing in early polls appears solid. A Saint Anselm College Survey Center poll had Buttigieg leading the Democratic field with 25 percent, trailed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at 17 percent. Emerson College polling also showed Buttigieg, along with Sen. Jon Ossoff and Gov. Newsom, as the strongest candidates against possible Republican challengers like Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance.

South Carolina will kick off the 2028 primaries on January 22, 2028, followed by Nevada in February, then New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan, and Virginia. Biden supported making South Carolina first in 2024, and the DNC voted to keep the change for 2028 in mid-August.

For Buttigieg, the path forward is clear but demanding. As he navigates the 2026 midterms and weighs a presidential bid, his ability to win over Black voters in South Carolina will likely determine whether his political comeback succeeds or stalls.

The trip showed early signs of progress. Davina Perry, a third-year student at Claflin, said she would consider him a "good candidate." "Secretary Pete has definitely put himself on my radar for 2028 now, for sure," she said. "I do want to see more representation from people who look like me."

But the enthusiasm, while encouraging, is not the same as a mandate. As Harrison cautioned, the road ahead is long, and the first test is still years away.