South Carolina seeks to defend newly-won turf in Democratic primary

South Carolina Democrats are preparing to defend their turf amid backlash over what’s likely to be the state’s preeminent place in the 2024 presidential primary calendar.

The Palmetto State is tentatively set to vote first in the lineup after a blessing from President Biden’s White House and a governing body of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), which saw its diversity as reason to move the date up.

But as Democrats in other states watched their chances to kick off the next cycle diminish, they started poking holes in the case for South Carolina, prompting an effort among the state’s elected and party officials and outside advocates to shield it from attacks and quiet voices of dissent.