The battle for the Democratic Party’s 2028 presidential nomination is already spilling into public view, with a top aide to California Gov.Gavin Newsom taking a swipe at fellow White House hopeful Pete Buttigieg over his effort to build support with Black voters in the South.Newsom communications director Izzy Gardon mocked Buttigieg's recent visit to South Carolina, which his representative Aida Ross highlighted with a post on X over the weekend that included a photo of the former Transportation Secretary with members of the Orangeburg branch of the NAACP. "Pete returned to Orangeburg, SC! Great night with the Orangeburg Branch of the NAACP," Ross said alongside the photo.Meanwhile, Gardon responded to the post: "First time in SC in 3 years? Nice!"JENNIFER SIEBEL NEWSOM DODGES QUESTION ON HUSBAND GAVIN'S PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRATIONS Former U.S.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg shares a laugh with Daysel Chavis, left, during an NAACP fundraiser at Edisto Fork United Methodist Church on August 22, 2026 in Orangeburg, South Carolina.South Carolina will hold the first Democratic primary in the next presidential election, making the Palmetto State a strategic stop for potential candidates like Buttigieg.
(Sean Rayford/Getty Images)The exchange garnered buzz online, as it placed two of the Democratic Party's most closely watched potential presidential contenders at the center of a growing fight over Black voter outreach—an issue likely to be central in 2028 as South Carolina again prepares to hold the party’s first nominating contest.It also comes amid wider Democratic tensions over whether the party is doing enough to engage Black voters and the South, with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens accusing the DNC of "abandoning the South" and "abandoning Black voters" after Atlanta was eliminated from 2028 convention contention last week. Meanwhile, South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain declared last month, amid debate over the party’s presidential ...