Several high-profile Democrats have traveled to South Carolina for the party’s primary election this weekend to boost President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign — but many of them are likely eyeing other future prospects. 

The Democratic politicians attended events throughout the week as surrogates for the president’s campaign, including Vice President Kamala Harris, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA). As such, the campaign events have doubled as an opportunity for the surrogates to elevate themselves as possible candidates in 2028. 

“If anyone wants to run in 2028, it’d be smart for them to be here now,” South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain told Politico. “If they have further aspirations, South Carolina is a place they should spend time.”

Democrats are set to hold their first sanctioned nominating contest of the 2024 cycle on Saturday, marking a milestone for the Palmetto State as it hosts the first-in-the-nation primary for the first time. That decision was made by the Democratic National Committee last year after it chose to put South Carolina first on the nominating calendar over Iowa and New Hampshire, which have historically kickstarted the presidential contests for both parties. 

That calendar change has elevated South Carolina to the status both Iowa and New Hampshire have held for decades as key primary states. 

Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) acknowledged that many of the events this week are precursors to future elections, telling the outlet that several of the attendees “are a lot of people I hear for 2028.” He specifically named Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock. 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Several of the Democrats campaigning for Biden have made separate, unrelated trips to South Carolina in recent months, underscoring the importance the state holds for political ambitions.

“In these early primary states, it’s all about establishing relationships early so that you can, if and when you make the decision to run, you have people on-the-ground who can help you, advise you, tell you who to hire,” one Democrat advising a potential 2028 contender told Politico. “That’s why you see people, the cycle before, engaging locally, giving money, doing things that are helpful to the general cause, but also benefit them.”