Pete Buttigieg received a warm welcome in South Carolina on Saturday as he revisited the state that had dashed his presidential dreams in 2020. He is now considering a possible run for the presidency in 2028. During the 2020 Democratic primary, Buttigieg struggled to gain the support of Black Democrats in South Carolina, resulting in a fourth-place finish and his eventual withdrawal from the race. He ended up fifth in the overall Democratic presidential primary, ceding to Joe Biden.

Buttigieg recently expressed that he is “more inclined than not” to pursue a presidential bid. However, he acknowledged uncertainty regarding the race and family obligations. Despite these uncertainties, he received enthusiastic receptions at both an NAACP Freedom Fund dinner and a Black church event in South Carolina.

You need to demonstrate that you can win Black voters, Jaime Harrison stated, 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, Harrison added.

The Democratic primary field is expected to be crowded. Potential candidates include former Vice President Kamala Harris, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Additionally, Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff may join the race alongside Buttigieg.

Recent polling from Emerson College highlighted Buttigieg, Ossoff, and Newsom as the strongest Democratic contenders against possible Republican candidates Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance. A poll by the Saint Anselm College Survey Center showed Buttigieg leading the Democratic field with 25%, followed by Ocasio-Cortez at 17%.

South Carolina is set to commence the 2028 presidential primaries on January 22, followed by Nevada in early February. New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan, and Virginia will proceed through February. President Biden had backed the change to make South Carolina the first voting state during the 2024 primaries, ensuring better representation of the party’s diverse voter base. The Democratic National Committee maintained this for the 2028 elections, aiming for a “rigorous, fair, and efficient calendar” to recapture the White House.

The alteration, placing South Carolina and Nevada in early primary positions, aims to appeal to Black and Latino voters, deemed crucial for Democratic victories. Buttigieg has not revealed any specific 2028 ambitions, opting to focus on 2026, but his recent trip to Reno, Nevada, sparked speculation about his future plans.

Secretary Pete has definitely put himself on my radar for 2028 now, said Davina Perry, a student at Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina.

Orangeburg, known for civil rights advocacy, saw Buttigieg contributing to the development of Railroad Corner, a project injecting nearly $23 million into the locality. The initiative included new shops, restaurants, student housing, and office spaces.

Do I need to say any more? We need to stand and welcome the former secretary,” said Orangeburg’s mayor, Michael Butler.