Buttigieg Returns to South Carolina, Seeking Black Voters Who Eluded Him in 2020

Pete Buttigieg's latest visit to South Carolina was a study in contrasts. Six years ago, a fourth-place finish in the state's primary effectively ended his first presidential campaign, exposing a struggle to connect with Black voters. This weekend, as he weighs another run for the White House, the former transportation secretary received a markedly warmer welcome.

Speaking at an NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner in Orangeburg, Buttigieg was met with a standing ovation after being credited with helping secure a $22.7 million federal grant for the city's Railroad Corner revitalization project. A second ovation followed his speech, in which he warned that the country is in "big trouble" and laid out a 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. "If we recognize and embrace a future that is different from the past, we will do better."

The trip comes as South Carolina is poised to play an even larger role in the 2028 Democratic nominating process, with the state's primary now scheduled first. The change was designed, in part, to give Black voters—who make up a majority of the state's Democratic electorate—greater influence at the outset of the race.

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

Buttigieg has not committed to a run, telling reporters, "Right now, I'm totally focused on 2026." Still, his itinerary had the hallmarks of a campaign-in-waiting: a fundraiser in Charleston, a policy conference, and a visit to Claflin University, a historically Black institution.

Divina Perry, a third-year student at Claflin, said Buttigieg has "definitely put himself on my radar for 2028," though she added, "I do want to see more representation from people who look like me."

Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler, who introduced Buttigieg, credited him for the federal investment in the city's downtown. "He is responsible for the Railroad Corner," Butler said. "Do I need to say any more?"

In his remarks, Buttigieg argued that Democrats must address both economic frustrations and 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.

Buttigieg is not alone in making early visits to the state. Other potential contenders, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, and U.S. Representative Ro Khanna, have also traveled to South Carolina. The political landscape has shifted since 2020, with Black leaders citing recent Supreme Court rulings and the return of Donald Trump to the White House as setbacks for their community.

Harrison called Buttigieg's weekend a "good start," but stressed the need for sustained engagement. "It can't just be, 'Oh, pop in and then I'm going to pop back out.'"