博客

Trump backs Republican challenger to oust Letitia James amid ongoing mortgage fraud feud

August 15, 2026 4:49pm EDT / Fox News

President called James the ‘Most Corrupt Attorney General in the Country’ in a Friday Truth Social post

By Elaine Mallon

Published August 15, 2026 4:49pm EDT

New York Attorney General candidate Saritha Komatireddy explains why she is the right person to fix crime issues in New York and discusses public safety in the Mamdani era on ‘The Story.’

NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

New York Attorney General Letitia James has drawn a Trump-backed challenger, with President Donald Trump throwing his “complete and total endorsement” behind Republican Saritha Komatireddy in a bid to oust his longtime political foe.

“It is my Great Honor to endorse America First Patriot, Saritha Komatireddy, who is running to be the next Attorney General of the once wonderful State of New York,” Trump wrote in a Friday Truth Social post. “Between Kathy Hochul and the Most Corrupt Attorney General in the Country, Letitia James, it has gone to HELL!”

Trump’s endorsement of Komatireddy, who he nominated to U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York in 2020, comes as he continues pressing for James to be prosecuted over mortgage fraud allegations, adding another front to his years-long feud with the Democratic attorney general who once took him to court.

President Donald Trump endorsed Saritha Komatireddy in the New York attorney general’s race to unseat foe Letitia James((Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images) (Photo by Kena Betancur / AFP) (Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images))

TRUMP’S JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SUES NEW YORK, OTHER BLUE STATES OVER TUITION FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

Trump did not mince his words in his criticism of James, who successfully sued Trump and The Trump Organization in 2022, accusing them of fraudulently inflating the value of assets on financial statements to obtain more favorable loans.

An appeals court later wiped out the nearly $465 million financial penalty against Trump, ruling the massive disgorgement award violated the Constitution’s prohibition on excessive fines.

“Letitia ‘Peekaboo’ James, is considered by many to be the WORST Attorney General in our Country. She is a Complete and Total Disaster, who tried running against Kathy Hochul for Governor, and got less than 1% of the Vote in the Polls, and QUIT, taking many innocent suckers down with her,” Trump wrote. “She then went back to her WITCH HUNT against your favorite President, (ME!), and others, yet Murder and other Violent Crime is RAGING OUT OF CONTROL in New York, as People and Businesses flee, in Record Numbers, to other States!”

New York Attorney General Letitia James attends a campaign rally with community leaders in the Jackson Heights neighborhood in the Queens borough of New York City on Nov. 1, 2022.(AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez, File)

He contrasted James to Komatireddy, touting her qualifications as Drug Enforcement Administration chief of staff, a former federal prosecutor, and that she clerked for Brett Kavanaugh, who went on to become a Supreme Court justice.

“On the other hand, as your next Attorney General, Saritha Komatireddy will fight tirelessly to Ensure LAW AND ORDER, Grow our Economy, Champion our Law Enforcement and First Responders, Support our Military/Veterans, Advance Election Integrity, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Uphold our Constitution, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment,” Trump wrote.

Republican candidate for New York Attorney General Saritha Komatireddy holds a news conference with state GOP lawmakers on increasing public transit safety in New York on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at West Capitol Park in Albany, N.Y.(Will Waldron/Albany Times Union via Getty Images))

TRUMP MAY HAVE ENDORSED DARLINE GRAHAM, BUT GOP SENATE HOPEFULS AREN’T BACKING DOWN

Komatireddy, who has been outspoken against James’ handling of the state’s fraud investigations, thanked Trump for his endorsement.

“I was honored to be nominated to be a federal judge by the President in 2020 and I’m honored to receive his endorsement today. I’m working hard to win the support of all New Yorkers and defeat Letitia James this November,” Komatireddy wrote on X.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital reached out to James’ campaign for comment.

Elaine Mallon is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business covering national politics.

才华曾让他饱受折磨 雨伞叔叔画伞唱歌找回自由

2026年8月16日 06:30 / 联合早报 新明日报

77岁的高桥晃（Akira Takahashi）经常坐在中峇鲁市场一角，手里拿着画笔在雨伞上作画。 （梁麒麟摄）

“我是在空中出生的。”

高桥晃（Akira Takahashi）总是这样开场。父亲是日本人，母亲是土生华人——两种血脉在他身上早早交汇，仿佛命运还嫌不够特别，又添了一笔：1949年，母亲怀他七个月，从印尼棉兰飞往新加坡。万米高空，阵痛骤然袭来，他成了那个年代罕见的“机上婴儿”。

从此，他的一生似乎被签下契约：注定无法被困在四方框里。

https://www.zaobao.com.sg/20cb72d2-4a09-46ad-b248-425309d77b97

如今，77岁的他坐在中峇鲁市场一角，画笔在伞面上沙沙游走。两只狗蜷在脚边，两只鸡昂首踱步，偶尔被他抓进画里——毛茸茸的“模特”们，是他最忠实的观众。他一边画，一边哼着英语老歌，路人笑，他也笑。

可你若只看见此刻的自在，便错过了他大半生的挣扎。

他曾是五星级酒店的艺术总监，手握四项健力士世界纪录。可他却说，那些光鲜的头衔和成就，反而让他饱受折磨，“像囚犯一样”。如今在街边一边唱歌一边画画的日子，才是他最快乐的时光。他唯一的梦想，是在有生之年为慈善筹得100万元。

五年画余百把伞 望筹百万给慈善

五年间，高桥画了400多把伞。（梁麒麟摄）

不少人会把自家宠物的照片交给他，请他把“毛孩子”画在雨伞上，每把收费88元。由于订单不断，近期下单后，顾客得等上近两个月才能拿到。五年，400多把伞，一笔一画，全是人间温度。

两只狗和两只鸡总在高桥晃身边徘徊，偶尔也会成为他笔下的“模特”。（梁麒麟摄）

高桥晃会把部分画伞赚到的钱、别人塞来的捐款，统统转手送给猫狗救助站、寺庙，或是身边任何一个窘迫的陌生人。朋友摇头：“自己吃泡面，钱全捐掉。”他摊手：“没办法，心太软，看见了，就放不下。”

这份“放不下”，从1989年就种下了。那年他为全国肾脏基金会筹款，黑暗中插花、献唱，筹得四万元。此后三十余年，他默默攒着善款，像攒一把散落的硬币。如今，离100万的目标只差11万——他说这话时，眼里有光，像孩子数着存钱罐。

四项世界纪录加身 他却说“像囚犯”

高桥晃擅长花艺、冰雕和食物雕刻，图为他年轻时制作的插花和冰雕作品。（档案照片）

高桥晃擅长花艺、冰雕、食物雕刻，也创作了不少大型环保艺术装置，例如用羽球制成大兔子、用光碟制作近五米长的龙，以及用吸管制作约5.5米高的圣诞树。他还是四项健力士世界纪录的持有者，包括世界最大的悬挂灯笼、最大的插花等。

“别人都问我是怎么想到的，我说我也不知道。我睡醒，想法就突然出现在脑海中。”

高桥晃创作了不少大型环保艺术装置。图为他创作的光碟龙装置，全长7.3米。（受访者提供）

没有学习过艺术的高桥晃说，这些似乎都是与生俱来的天赋。他从小学习能力比较差，奶奶曾说这样下去，长大后就要去捡垃圾。他自嘲：“结果我现在真的靠捡垃圾、做艺术赚钱！”

这些别人梦寐以求的才华，对高桥晃而言却成了沉重的负担，让他“饱受折磨”。

有一次制作环保艺术作品时，他长时间被泡沫塑料烧焦的味道熏着，他因此对泡沫塑料留下阴影。此后的10年，他都不敢再使用泡沫塑料制成的杯子等物件。另一次，他收集了4万8000根吸管，把它们绑起来制成圣诞树，制作过程也让他从此对吸管产生恐惧。

天赋也是枷锁：成名让他害怕人群与镜头

2003年高桥晃收集了4万8000根吸管，把它们绑起来制成5.5米高的圣诞树。（档案照片）

出版桌面布置书籍后，高桥晃逐渐成名，开始授课、上电视节目。随着知名度攀升，他感觉自己的一举一动都备受注视，走在街上也常被陌生人认出，即使不认识对方，也得保持笑容回应。久而久之，他甚至害怕相机和媒体，见到镜头便躲开，拒绝受访。“那样的生活，让我觉得自己是一个囚犯，没有自由。”

疫情中随手一笔 街角画画找回自由

46岁那年，再也无法忍受工作压力的他脱下艺术总监的西装，去酒吧当保安。

从光鲜到粗粝，外人看是坠落，他却说是“呼吸”。后来升作总经理，再后来退休。本以为人生就这样了，直到疫情困住脚步。2020年，他随手抓起一把旧雨伞，挤出颜料——那一笔落下去，久违的平静涌了上来。

2020年疫情时期，退休后的高桥晃决定出来画伞消磨时间。（梁麒麟摄）

从此，每个清晨他带着画笔来到熟悉的街角，唱歌，画画，像一只终于飞出笼子的鸟。人们不再叫他“大师”或“纪录保持者”，只喊“雨伞叔叔”。他笑了，这次是真的笑。慢慢地，他打开了心扉，也愿意接受媒体访问。

问他此生最快乐的时刻，他没有丝毫犹豫，咧嘴大笑，皱纹深深弯起：“现在！现在最自由，像鸟一样自由！”

出生在空中的他，如今终于找回了属于自己的天空。

Fauci refuses Senate appearance after invoking Fifth Amendment more than 100 times in COVID probe

2026-08-15T17:15:59-04:00 / Fox News

Sen Ron Johnson sought Fauci’s testimony as part of a separate probe into the federal COVID-19 response

By Brittany Miller Fox News

Published August 15, 2026 5:15pm EDT

A Senate panel has voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he invoked the Fifth Amendment 111 times during a hearing on the origins of COVID-19. ‘Outnumbered’ details HHS handing over work iPhone records and state subpoenas issued by officials in Florida, Alabama and Louisiana following the vote led by Senator Rand Paul.

NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

blob:https://www.foxnews.com/9e7960c3-6205-4c41-a03c-77792a89dca5

Listen to this article
3 min

Dr. Anthony Fauci on Friday declined a request to voluntarily appear before a second Senate panel, opening another front in Republicans’ investigations into the former public health official’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

An attorney for Fauci rejected the request from Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, arguing that compelling Fauci to testify again after his contentious July 29 Senate hearing would “impermissibly harass or degrade Dr. Fauci for political purposes.”

Johnson has been conducting a parallel investigation into Fauci and the federal government’s response to COVID-19, including the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.

SEN RON JOHNSON TALKS FAUCI EMAILS, NEW SENATE FILIBUSTER STRATEGY ON ‘RUTHLESS’

FILE – Former NIH Director Anthony Fauci is sworn in before testifying to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on July 29, 2026 in Washington, DC.(Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

The refusal comes after Republicans on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted along party lines last week to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress after he invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times during the July hearing.

Committee chairman Rand Paul, R-Ky., has sought to send the contempt referral directly to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia, bypassing a full Senate vote.

“It’s a good legal discussion, and we will make those legal points to DOJ in sending the referral over,” Paul told Fox News Digital ahead of last week’s contempt vote.

At issue is whether Fauci can invoke the Fifth Amendment after former President Joe Biden issued him a preemptive pardon before leaving office.

CAN FAUCI HIDE BEHIND THE FIFTH? GAME-CHANGING BIDEN PARDON MAY NOT PROVIDE COMPLETE COVER, EXPERTS SAY

FILE – Former NIH Director Anthony Fauci listens during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on July 29, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Fauci declined to answer questions, asserting his Fifth Amendment right.(Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Paul has argued that Biden’s pardon removed Fauci’s risk of federal prosecution and therefore undermined his basis for refusing to answer lawmakers’ questions. Fauci and his attorneys have disputed that position.

Paul has spent years investigating Fauci’s role in the government’s response to COVID-19 and has accused the former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director of funding “risky” research that led to an alleged lab leak of the COVID-19 virus in China. Paul has repeatedly called for Fauci to be prosecuted.

Johnson’s subcommittee has separately obtained records related to Fauci and the government’s pandemic response. Fox News Digital previously confirmed that the Department of Health and Human Services sent the subcommittee a copy of Fauci’s pandemic-era cellphone.

The broader Homeland Security panel also received more than 1,000 pages of Fauci’s personal diary before his July hearing.

FILE – Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., gestures while addressing Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison during a hearing on Capitol Hill on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2026. It is unclear if Johnson’s office will subpoena Fauci following the refusal.(CSPAN)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital reached out to Johnson’s office to ask whether he intends to subpoena Fauci following the refusal. Fox News Digital also sought reaction from Paul’s office and asked Fauci attorney David Schertler whether Fauci would comply with a subpoena compelling his testimony.

Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.

Brittany Miller is a Fox News Digital breaking news writer and former Independent reporter who graduated from Syracuse University in 2023.

Democrats pick South Carolina as first 2028 primary state​​

2026-08-15T20:07:06.826Z / Reuters

By Leah Douglas

August 15, 2026 8:07 PM UTC Updated 3 hours ago

The South Carolina State Capitol is shown in Columbia, South Carolina, U.S., January 15, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Wurm/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

WASHINGTON, Aug 15 (Reuters) – The Democratic National Committee on Saturday officially selected South Carolina as the first state to vote in the ​party’s 2028 primaries.

The vote at the DNC’s summer meeting ‌in Austin, Texas, codified a July vote by the organization’s Rules & Bylaws Committee. Following South Carolina will be Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan and Virginia, the ​DNC said in a news release.

The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.

The first state to vote ​in a presidential nominating contest often helps to shape ⁠the field of candidates, drawing campaign spending and media attention.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

Report Ad

The calendar ​adopted on Saturday will allow Democrats “to battle-test candidates while maintaining an ​open, affordable field,” the committee said.

“The DNC has delivered a 2028 nominating calendar that truly represents our party and our values, and will help us retake the ​White House in 2028,” DNC Chair Ken Martin said in ​a statement.

Some Democrats often mentioned as potential presidential contenders have visited South Carolina over the ‌past ⁠several months, including Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, U.S. Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, and California Governor Gavin Newsom.

South Carolina and Nevada had tussled in July over which state should claim the top spot in ​a competition that ​became a ⁠proxy battle between the party’s Black and Latino bases.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

In 2022, former President Joe Biden persuaded Democrats to ​overhaul their 2024 nominating calendar to put South Carolina ​first. ⁠New Hampshire, which traditionally had been the first state to vote in the primaries, defied the national party that year and stuck to its ⁠usual ​January spot on the calendar, although the ​DNC did not seat any of the New Hampshire delegates elected in that gathering.

blob:https://www.reuters.com/213b8c19-ed8e-4ab1-a14d-052c3b34d8e9

Reporting ​by Leah Douglas in Washington; Editing by Sergio Non and Matthew Lewis

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Colombian president says he asked Trump to suspend tariffs after devastating earthquake

August 15, 2026 / 6:40 PM EDT / CBS/AFP

Colombia’s new President Abelardo de la Espriella on Saturday called on President Trump to suspend tariffs currently targeting the South American nation, which is reeling after a deadly earthquake.

U.S. tariffs on Colombian products rose from 10% to 12.5% in late July, with a few exceptions including coffee and oil.

“I asked him to consider to temporarily suspend the high tariffs that are affecting Colombian products, in order to give some relief to our business owners, who are facing very difficult times due to the effects of the earthquake,” De la Espriella said on X.

The increased tariffs went into effect on July 24, replacing an expiring global duty rolled out by the Trump administration earlier this year.

De la Espriella said he has spoken for about 10 minutes with Mr. Trump, who he said expressed his condolences over the deaths from Monday’s 7.4-magnitude quake.

“The conversation was very friendly and cordial,” the Colombian leader said.

“I told him that we have a huge challenge ahead: rebuilding Colombia amid the extremely difficult and apocalyptic economic situation that I inherited.”

CBS News has reached out the White House for comment on the request.

The tremor devastated the western Colombian cities of Cali and Pereira, leaving nearly 300 people dead and destroying almost 13,000 homes.

The building debris is pictured in Pereira, Colombia, on Aug. 15, 2026, days after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake that killed hundreds of people. Luis ACOSTA /AFP via Getty Images

In July, the Trump administration imposed tariffs of up to 12.5% on 60 nations, including Colombia, which it accused of failing to stamp out forced labor. The tariffs were imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The Section 301 tariffs replaced levies enacted under Section 122 of the same trade act which had been imposed in February and had just expired.

The White House moves to enact tariffs under Section 122 and then Section 301 came after the Supreme Court in February struck down sweeping tariffs Mr. Trump had enacted under a different law, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977, ruling that they were illegally imposed without congressional authorization.

Mr. Trump endorsed the right-wing De la Espriella, a millionaire lawyer-turned-politician, during his run for the presidency. De la Espriella succeeded the leftist Gustavo Petro, whose administration was frequently at odds with the White House. Petro was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department last October, and CBS News reported in March that he was the subject of a federal narcotics probe.

Since taking office, De la Espriella has joined the so-called Shield of the Americas, an anti-cartel alliance headed by Mr. Trump and made up of pro-U.S. governments across Latin America, including Argentina, Ecuador and El Salvador.

Member states exchange information and coordinate judicial and security forces to address transnational criminal activity.

De la Espriella plans to forge a military alliance with the U.S. and Israel to help bolster his war on guerrillas.

国际特稿：德国告别历史摆脱禁忌 再军事化撬动欧洲格局

2026年8月16日 05:00 / 联合早报 蔡添成

德国打破二战禁忌，近年决定大幅强化军事力量，这个势头如能持续，必定会改变欧洲大陆的整体安全态势。尤其面对来自俄罗斯的安全威胁，欧洲自身加强本土防卫已是势在必行。

（插图／陈锐勤）

俄罗斯2022年2月24日大举入侵乌克兰。三天后的2月27日，时任德国总理朔尔茨在议会发表“时代转折”（Zeitenwende）演讲，标志着冷战后德国的外交、安全与防务政策的根本转变。

当天，朔尔茨宣布设立1000亿欧元（约1500亿新元）专项资金增强国防实力，要把国防开支提升到占国内生产总值（GDP）的2％以上，并支持陷入绝境的乌克兰。

在俄罗斯发动侵略之前，德国希望与俄国维持友好关系，对乌克兰问题的态度模棱两可。战争爆发后，德国调整能源供应结构，以摆脱对俄罗斯的依赖。2023年以后，德国就不再向俄罗斯采购天然气、石油或煤炭。

订户专享，请登录解锁全文

Swimmer Kate Douglass sets 50-meter freestyle world record in Pan Pacific prelims

2026-08-15T15:01:40-0400 / CBS News

August 15, 2026 / 3:01 PM EDT / AP

Kate Douglass set a world record in the women’s 50-meter freestyle in the preliminary heats of the Pan Pacific Championships on Saturday.

The 24-year-old from the New York City suburb of Pelham touched in 23.49 seconds in her heat at the outdoor pool in Irvine, California.

Douglass lowered the mark of 23.55 set by teammate Gretchen Walsh at an international meet in Rome in June.

Kate Douglass set the World Record for the Women’s 50m Freestyle with a time of 23.49 at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images

It’s the second time Douglass has lowered the world mark in the sprint race. She first did it on June 19 at the TYR Pro Swim Series meet in Indianapolis, posting a time of 23.59. Nine days later, Walsh lowered it again.

Douglass is a five-time Olympic medalist. She earned silver in the 50 free at the 2024 World Championships but didn’t compete in the event at the 2024 Paris Games.

Walsh swam in the heat after Douglass and was timed in 23.78, making them the top two qualifiers for the evening final on the final day of competition in Irvine.

It was the first individual world record set at the meet that included swimmers from the U.S., Australia, Canada, Japan and China, among others.

Indiana floods trigger rescues and evacuations as White River breaks century-old record

August 15, 2026 / 3:31 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Several dozen people and their pets were rescued Saturday as floodwaters rose along the White River in Indianapolis, and emergency managers said that number was expected to climb as authorities in the city and elsewhere in central Indiana responded to what many described as historic flooding.

“This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime type floods,” Jacob Spence, director of Marion County Emergency Management, told The Associated Press. “So yeah, this is an unprecedented event and unfortunately we’re setting some new records.”

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett was joined by emergency managers during a briefing Saturday as he urged residents along the river to evacuate. A day earlier, he had declared a local emergency as heavy rains resulted in creeks and streams swelling throughout central Indiana.

Some rivers reached a level so high that they broke records set more than 100 years ago.

Aerial view of flooding after another round of heavy rain in central Indiana on August 15, 2026, in Noblesville, Indiana. Michael Hickey / Getty Images

The damage so far was concentrated along the river corridor from Hamilton County and into the northern Indianapolis suburbs. Farther east in Delaware County, sheriff’s deputies on Friday found the body of a 58-year-old woman who they believe died after trying to drive through floodwaters.

The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Saturday that authorities found the body of 18-year-old Matthew Morey, an incoming Purdue University freshman who had gone missing after he entered the Mississinewa River with three others on Wednesday.

“There are no words that can ease the pain of losing a child. Our hearts are with Matthew’s family, friends, classmates, and everyone who knew and loved him,” the sheriff’s office told CBS News in a statement.

The county’s Yorktown Public Library said it was severely impacted by the floods. Footage posted on the library’s Facebook page on Friday shows approximately 1-foot-high floodwater throughout the building.

“Seeing our library in this state yesterday was nothing short of devastating. We’re definitely all feeling a little heartbroken,” the library said in the post. “We want to thank everyone who has already reached out to offer help. We’re happy to report that the water has receded this morning, and we’re working with a water mitigation company to come up with a plan.”

Gov. Mike Braun has requested a presidential emergency declaration to free up federal resources to help with the response and recovery following days of record rainfall.

Flash flood warnings and watches were issued across a swath of central Indiana on Saturday, and forecasters with the National Weather Service warned that more showers and thunderstorms would be moving into the area throughout the day. In Warren County, forecasters reported 2 inches of rain falling in the past six hours.

The White River crested just shy of 25 feet in the city of Anderson on Friday, more than a foot above the record set in 1913.

Forecasters expected the White River to crest Saturday evening in the Indianapolis area, where National Guard vehicles were among those helping with the rescue efforts. An estimated 70 people had been rescued by midday, said Rita Reith, a spokesperson with the Indianapolis Fire Department.

“The water is still rising, so heed the warnings,” said Todd Wilson, director of the city’s public works department.

Residents posted videos on social media that showed vehicles stranded in high water, a power pole being toppled by rushing water and flooded intersections.

Earlier this week, severe storms wreaked havoc across other parts of the Midwest, causing tornadoes, heavy rains and flash flooding. Storm damage was reported from the Chicago area all the way to western Pennsylvania.

South Carolina to hold first 2028 Democratic presidential primary, DNC vote confirms

August 15, 2026 / 3:57 PM EDT / CBS News

By Zak Hudak

Democrats on Saturday approved a new presidential nominating calendar for 2028, cementing South Carolina’s place as the first official Democratic primary state, as the party looks to elevate states that better reflect its diverse coalition of voters.

The vote came during the Democratic National Committee’s summer meeting in Austin, where members signed off on a schedule that begins with South Carolina on Jan. 22, followed by Nevada on Feb. 1. New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan and Virginia round out the early-state lineup throughout February, all voting before Super Tuesday.

“This is much bigger than a lineup of dates on a calendar,” said DNC Chair Ken Martin. “This is about our approach to winning back the presidency. It’s about the kind of Democratic Party and the kind of country we aspire to be.”

The new calendar goes into effect amid a tug-of-war within the progressive and establishment wings of the party. It also continues a shift away from a tradition that for half a century gave states that are predominantly composed of White voters — Iowa and New Hampshire — outsized influence at the start of the nominating process. Strategists say the new calendar gives greater influence to Black and Latino voters, who make up key parts of the Democratic coalition.

“If you’re not strong with Latino voters or if you’re not strong with Black voters, you know you can only get so far in this calendar,” CBS News contributor and Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha said, adding that the schedule shows Black voters “the respect that they’re due.”

Not everyone in the party is on board. Democratic leaders in Iowa and New Hampshire — previously the first and second states to hold primary contests, respectively — excoriated the new map as soon as the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee recommended it, arguing that it diminishes the role of states that have long taken on the responsibility of shaping the presidential nomination battlefield.

“New Hampshire’s First in the Nation primary is a tested proving ground in a closely contested swing state that forges better candidates and better presidents — and despite what DNC insiders say, that hasn’t changed,” New Hampshire’s U.S. congressional delegation said in a statement. “As a state with highly engaged voters, we put candidates through their paces and thoroughly vet them. And our small size means that actually meeting and talking to voters takes precedence over super PACs or mega-donor-fueled campaigns.”

Iowa Democratic Chair Rita Hart said on Saturday the new calendar “fundamentally misses the mark,” saying the job of the DNC calendar is to “ensure that the strongest possible nominee emerges” to become the Democratic candidate for president.

“It’s a product of broken promises, and it excludes huge swaths of the country and the voters that Democrats need to win, the kind of majorities it takes to restore Democratic principles and reject this misguided and corrupt Trump administration,” she said.

Momentum for South Carolina’s ascension in the calendar traces back to 2020, when a victory there shifted momentum in the presidential primary that year to Joe Biden after he performed poorly in Iowa, New Hampshire and, to a lesser extent, Nevada. Under pressure from Biden and his allies, the DNC moved South Carolina’s primary to first for the 2024 calendar.

That cycle, New Hampshire defied the DNC’s revised schedule and held its primary before South Carolina, citing a state law that mandates it hold the first primary. In response, the party stripped the contest of its sanctioned status. DNC Chair Ken Martin has signaled that if New Hampshire jumps ahead again in 2028, punishment will be more severe.

“This is a calendar this party is actually going to protect,” Martin told reporters after the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee met last month to propose a new schedule.

The new calendar could impact the ideological battle within the Democratic Party between establishment moderates and more progressive candidates, including far-left democratic socialists. With no obvious 2028 front-runner, the newly approved schedule gives South Carolina, Nevada and the other four early states disproportionate influence over which faction can build early momentum in the 2028 presidential primaries.

Among the states granted early slots, only Nevada and New Mexico offer clear advantages to progressives. Michigan has shown openness this cycle to progressives, with the primary victory of Abdul El-Sayed in the Senate race, but historically has elected more moderate candidates. New Hampshire voters have over time shown an openness to outsiders, but they typically have a more independent streak rather than a steep ideological lean.

Progressives face an uphill battle in South Carolina, which has fewer of the White voters with college degrees who tend to support further-left candidates, and Virginia, which has long favored more moderate candidates.

The decision to elevate states with large Black and Hispanic populations also comes as Democrats fight to stop the GOP from gaining ground with those two groups in general elections. President Trump won 48% of the Hispanic vote in 2024, up 12 points from four years earlier, and he won 15% of Black voters, almost double his share in 2020, according to the Pew Research Center. His share of non-Hispanic White voters remained stable, at 55%.

Democrats look to states with Black, Latino voters to build momentum in 2028

2026-08-15T18:26:30.555Z / CNN

By Fredreka Schouten

1 hr 33 min ago

PUBLISHED Aug 15, 2026, 2:26 PM ET

AUSTIN—

Democrats on Saturday adopted a 2028 presidential primary schedule that moves states with sought-after diverse populations to the front of a calendar that will shape their party’s fight to win the White House.

Democratic National Committee members gave final approval to six early voting states, with South Carolina, which has a substantial Black population, continuing to kick off the party’s nominating contests on January 22, 2028.

Nevada, a western presidential battleground, will follow on February 1. The four other early voting states are New Hampshire on February 8, New Mexico on February 15, Michigan on February 22 and Virginia on February 29. The calendar removes Iowa from the early lineup.

In choosing to include Nevada and New Mexico in the early contests, the party has frontloaded the calendar with states that have large contingents of Latino voters, a group that President Donald Trump made inroads with during the 2024 presidential election.

In an interview with CNN, DNC chairman Ken Martin hailed the calendar as “the most diverse” in the party’s history.

“It’s going to battle-test our nominee with key parts of our coalition and key parts of the country in a way that we’ve never seen before,” he said.

The vote, on the final day of the DNC’s summer meeting, comes amid a midterm primary election season that has seen Democratic voters swing between progressive insurgents and moderate candidates — an internal struggle over the party’s direction that likely will loom over the crowded race for the White House.

Martin, who has faced criticism of his leadership of the DNC and stewardship of its finances, insisted that those ideological differences should not divide Democrats as they barrel toward this November’s high-stakes midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.

“We are a big tent party,” the party chief told a gathering of the DNC women’s caucus on the opening day of the meeting Thursday. “And as long as I’m the chair, we’re going to continue to be.”

“Everybody Is welcomed in this party,” Martin said to strong applause and hoots of approval from those assembled in a ballroom at a Hilton hotel in downtown Austin.