--- title: "Buttigieg courts Black voters in South Carolina amid potential 2028 run" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/buttigieg-courts-black-voters-in-south-carolina-amid-potential-2028-run" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/buttigieg-courts-black-voters-in-south-carolina-amid-potential-2028-run" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/buttigieg-courts-black-voters-in-south-carolina-amid-potential-2028-run.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/buttigieg-courts-black-voters-in-south-carolina-amid-potential-2028-run" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-08-23T12:45:56.299Z" source_reported: "2026-08-23T11:51:11.000Z" updated: "2026-08-23T12:45:56.299Z" trust_score: 60 critic_score: 70 hype_score: 20 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-23T12:45:16.306842+00:00" --- # Buttigieg courts Black voters in South Carolina amid potential 2028 run *Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited South Carolina, a state crucial for Democratic presidential hopefuls.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 60 of 100, higher is better. Reporting is corroborated by multiple outlets, with two full reports and four digests. - Craft 70 of 100, higher is better. The reporting clearly separates facts from speculation and provides context for the events. - Hype 20 of 100, lower is better. The language used is neutral and the headline accurately reflects the article's content. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Pete Buttigieg visited South Carolina, a state critical for Democratic presidential candidates, to reconnect with Black voters. - He received a standing ovation at a Black church for his work as Transportation Secretary and for outlining his future vision. - Jaime Harrison, former chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party, stated that winning Black voters is essential for securing the Democratic nomination. - Buttigieg stated his current focus is on 2026, but his trip, including fundraising and visits to early voting states, suggested preparations for a potential 2028 presidential campaign. Pete Buttigieg returned to South Carolina to court Black voters, a group he found difficult to connect with during his 2020 presidential campaign. His visit included a stop at a Black church where he received a standing ovation for his work as Transportation Secretary and for presenting his vision for the future. The state's primary is expected to play a significant role in the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination process. During his visit, Buttigieg spoke at an NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner, addressing over 200 people. He also visited Claflin University, a historically Black university in Orangeburg. Jaime Harrison, former chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party, commented that a candidate must demonstrate an ability to win Black voters to become the party's nominee. Buttigieg stated his immediate focus is on 2026, but his trip, which included fundraising and visits to early voting states like Nevada, carried the appearance of a potential presidential bid. ## Disagreement on project funding Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler stated that Buttigieg was responsible for the Railroad Corner project, which received a $22.7 million federal grant for downtown revitalization. The Associated Press report credited Buttigieg for helping bring millions of federal dollars to the area for a project as President Joe Biden’s transportation secretary. ## What the coverage left out None of the reports printed below mention whether Pete Buttigieg has made a final decision about running for president again in 2028. The Associated Press report states he told reporters he is 'totally focused on 2026', but no outlet directly addresses his decision for 2028. ## Who covered it Shares of the 6 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 33% (2) - Centre: 67% (4) - Right: 0% (0) 0 of 6 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-23T12:45:16.306842+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 1 time; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-23T13:00:38.679Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The left-rated reports from Associated Press News and The Seattle Times highlighted Pete Buttigieg's return to South Carolina to court Black voters, noting his previous struggles to connect with this demographic in his 2020 presidential run. Both reports detailed his reception at a Black church, including standing ovations, and his remarks on the country's direction. They quoted Jaime Harrison on the necessity of winning Black voters for the Democratic nomination and included comments from Divina Perry, a student at Claflin University, who desired more representation. The Associated Press report also quoted Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler regarding a federal grant for downtown revitalization. ### Centre - The centre-rated reports from WKMG, WBAL, Cherokee Tribune Ledger News, and Winnipeg Free Press focused on Pete Buttigieg's visit to South Carolina as he considers a second presidential campaign. These reports noted his past difficulties in connecting with Black voters during his 2020 campaign and the encouraging reception he received this time. They mentioned his stops at a Black church and Claflin University, and included remarks from Jaime Harrison about the importance of Black voters for the Democratic nomination. The digests from WBAL and Winnipeg Free Press directly referenced the Associated Press account of Buttigieg's previous primary finish effectively ending his campaign. ### Right No separate framing summary. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - high: 2 - unknown: 1 - veryHigh: 3 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [The Seattle Times](https://seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/buttigieg-returns-to-south-carolina-to-court-the-black-voters-who-stalled-his-first-white-house-run) — Buttigieg returns to South Carolina to court the Black voters who stalled his first White House run - [WBAL](https://wbal.com/buttigieg-returns-to-south-carolina-to-court-the-black-voters-who-stalled-his-first-white-house-run) — Buttigieg returns to South Carolina to court the Black voters who stal - [Associated Press News](https://apnews.com/article/buttigieg-black-voters-south-carolina-2028-president-53f9ff5a74cd5e1cdaa677fc95e58a39) — Buttigieg returns to South Carolina to court the Black voters who stalled his first White House run - [Cherokee Tribune Ledger News](https://tribuneledgernews.com/local_news/state_and_national/buttigieg-returns-to-south-carolina-to-court-the-black-voters-who-stalled-his-first-white/article_b59473ff-dfc1-5c9b-be7a-6f8c621b4190.html) — Buttigieg returns to South Carolina to court the Black voters who stalled his first White House run - [WKMG](https://clickorlando.com/news/politics/2026/08/23/buttigieg-returns-to-south-carolina-to-court-the-black-voters-who-stalled-his-first-white-house-run) — Buttigieg returns to South Carolina to court the Black voters who stalled his first White House run - [Winnipeg Free Press](https://winnipegfreepress.com/world/2026/08/23/buttigieg-returns-to-south-carolina-to-court-the-black-voters-who-stalled-his-first-white-house-run) — Buttigieg returns to South Carolina to court the Black voters who stalled his first White House run ## Questions **Why did Pete Buttigieg return to South Carolina?** Pete Buttigieg returned to South Carolina to court Black voters, a demographic he struggled to connect with during his 2020 presidential campaign. He aimed to reintroduce himself and highlight his work as Transportation Secretary, seeking to build support for a potential future presidential run. **What was the reception for Pete Buttigieg in South Carolina?** Buttigieg received a standing ovation at a Black church for his work as Transportation Secretary and for outlining his vision for the future. This was a markedly different reception than in 2020, when his fourth-place finish in the state's primary effectively ended his presidential campaign. **What is the significance of South Carolina for Democratic presidential candidates?** South Carolina is a crucial state for Democratic presidential candidates because Black voters make up a majority of the state's Democratic electorate. Jaime Harrison stated that a candidate must demonstrate they can win Black voters to be the Democratic nominee, and the state is likely to be the first contest in the 2028 primary. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/buttigieg-courts-black-voters-in-south-carolina-amid-potential-2028-run. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Buttigieg courts Black voters in South Carolina amid potential 2028 run", https://mediabias.news/politics/buttigieg-courts-black-voters-in-south-carolina-amid-potential-2028-run