ORANGEBURG, S.C. (AP) — The previous time Pete Buttigieg delivered a political speech in South Carolina, it marked a distant finish in the state’s primary, effectively ending his presidential campaign.
Returning this weekend as he considers another run for the White House, Buttigieg aimed to reconnect with the state and the Black voters he struggled to reach in 2020. The response was positive.
In a South Carolina Black church, Buttigieg received a standing ovation when credited for directing millions of federal dollars to a local project as President Joe Biden’s transportation secretary. A second ovation followed his speech addressing a nation 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 an audience of over 200 at an NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner. “If we recognize and embrace a future different from the past, we will do better.”
This enthusiastic reception contrasted sharply with six years ago when a fourth-place finish in South Carolina derailed Buttigieg’s presidential campaign and highlighted his struggle to connect with Black voters. The state is poised to play an even greater role in his political future as the first contest in the 2028 Democratic presidential primary.
Sean Rayford via Getty Images
Beginning the election calendar in South Carolina aims to amplify Black voters’ influence early in the nominating process. For Buttigieg and other hopefuls, securing the backing of this group, which constitutes a majority of South Carolina’s Democratic electorate, is crucial.
“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.”
The 2028 Campaign Is Already Coming To South Carolina
Buttigieg maintains he has not made a final decision about running for president again.
“Right now, I’m totally focused on 2026,” he told reporters Saturday.
However, his visit to South Carolina, following a trip to another early-voting state, Nevada, had all the hallmarks of a potential presidential campaign.
On Friday, he raised funds in Charleston with Nancy Lacore, a U.S. House candidate seeking to win a Republican-held seat. Saturday morning saw him speaking at a policy conference before heading to Claflin University, a historically Black university in Orangeburg.
Davina Perry, a third-year student at Claflin, remarked that Buttigieg’s visit made her consider him a “good candidate” if he decides to run.
“Secretary Pete has definitely put himself on my radar for 2028 now, for sure,” Perry said. However, she added, “I do want to see more representation from people who look like me.”
That evening, Buttigieg attended a dinner at a church in Orangeburg, a city with a rich Civil Rights Movement history and a predominantly Black population. The gathering included local NAACP leaders, ministers, and elected officials. Buttigieg mingled with the crowd, offering hugs and taking photos.
“He is responsible for the Railroad Corner,” said Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler, mentioning a project to revitalize the city’s downtown that received a $22.7 million federal grant. “Do I need to say any more? We need to stand and welcome the former secretary.”
In his subsequent speech, Buttigieg presented a broader perspective on America’s direction, arguing that Democrats cannot separate economic frustrations from a political system he sees as increasingly dysfunctional.
“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.”
Black Voters Will Have The First Say For Democrats in 2028
For Buttigieg, the weekend highlighted how much has changed since he visited South Carolina in 2020 as a 38-year-old Indiana mayor seeking voter support. He reflects on his achievements during four years in Biden’s Cabinet, including projects in the state.
But Buttigieg said he also visited South Carolina “to propose something” about the country’s future. Butler, Orangeburg’s mayor, appreciated his message.
“His speech was what you talk about at the kitchen table. How America is going to survive all of this?” Butler said. “He brought hope to us.”
South Carolina Democratic leaders emphasize the importance of personal engagement with candidates. Those advocating for South Carolina to be first in the primary envisioned the intimate conversations and retail politics long associated with Iowa and New Hampshire.
“You got to go listen. You got to go all over the place,” Harrison said. “You have to make meaningful investments. That’s how you win South Carolina.”
Buttigieg is not alone in his early visit to the state.
Other potential 2028 contenders, such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna of California, and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey have also made trips to the state. Former Vice President Kamala Harris has deep connections there.
The electorate they encounter differs from 2020 when Biden’s victory in the state revived his presidential campaign and set him on the path to defeating Republican President Donald Trump.
Four years later, Trump defeated Harris and returned to the White House, which Black leaders say has significantly harmed their community. Earlier this year, a Supreme Court decision weakened a core provision of the Voting Rights Act, threatening Black political representation across the South.
“We must start our process where democracy must still be fought for, in the full view of the nation,” former interim DNC chair Donna Brazile said in a speech advocating for South Carolina to go first.
Buttigieg addressed those concerns directly Saturday night, describing efforts to weaken the Voting Rights Act as the culmination of a “multidecade effort.” He warned of a broader push “to demolish African American political power.”
Harrison noted that Buttigieg’s trip this weekend was a “good start,” but Buttigieg and other potential 2028 candidates have much work ahead to prove themselves to the state’s voters.
“It has to be a good start and then you got to continue,” Harrison said. “It can’t just be, ‘Oh, pop in and then I’m going to pop back out.’”
This story corrects the spelling of the first name of Claflin University student to Davina Perry, from Divina Perry.
