Democrats rumored to be considering a 2028 presidential run are further fueling speculation that they may jump into the race to win the White House.
Why It Matters
The first votes of the 2028 Democratic primary won’t be cast until about three years from now, but candidates may already be making early moves to carve out their lane in what could be a crowded race.
Whoever emerges from the primary will be tasked with leading a party that has struggled a bit since their 2024 loss. Democrats remain deeply divided about the ideological direction the party should follow going forward, and elected Democrats are coming under increasing scrutiny from the base amid concerns they aren’t doing enough to oppose President Donald Trump’s policies.
What To Know
Candidates aren’t likely to make official announcements until closer to 2028; if history is any indicator, most will announce after the midterms. But some are already taking early steps to build up their national name recognition, and some of their recent moves have fueled speculation about the presidential race.
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Costas Panagopoulos, professor of political science at Northeastern University, told Newsweek on Thursday that while it may seem early, candidates need time to mount a presidential campaign and build a base of support and donors. Getting a head start in a presidential race can be beneficial to staking out early positions and warding off other serious challengers who may be on the fence, he said.
“But they have to weigh that against the possibility of peaking too early and creating the space for alternatives to enter the race later in the game that may excite the electorate,” he added.
Potential candidates may also fill a “leadership vacuum” Democrats face at the moment, as the opposition to Trump thus far has been “scattered,” Panagopoulos said.
Here is a look at some of the potential candidates for the 2028 presidential election.
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg
Pete Buttigieg, who rose to national prominence during his 2020 presidential bid, announced on Thursday he is not running for Senate in Michigan, a decision some believe indicates he may have his eyes set on 2028.
In a Substack post, Buttigieg wrote he considered running for the upper chamber but opted not to do so, as Michigan already has several Democrats who could make strong candidates.
“While my own plans don’t include running for office in 2026, I am intensely focused on consolidating, communicating, and supporting this kind of vision,” he wrote. “For years I have argued that the decisions made by elected leaders matter entirely because of how they shape our everyday lives – and that the choices made in this decade will determine, for the rest of our lifetimes, the American people’s access to freedom, security, and democracy.”
He wrote that he feels “more motivated than ever to contribute to the future of this country” and will be spending the coming months “engaging both legacy and digital media in the service of a politics of everyday life, rooted in the values of freedom, security, and democracy.”
Polls suggest Buttigieg is popular with Democratic voters, and his stint as transportation secretary kept him in the news over the past few years.
Surveys also found that he would start in a strong position if he chooses to run, as he consistently places second behind former Vice President Kamala Harris in recent surveys of Democratic voters.
California Governor Gavin Newsom
Gavin Newsom, who leads the largest state in the country, has long been floated as a potential presidential candidate.
His recent podcast, which features conservative guests ranging from Steve Bannon to Charlie Kirk, has added to speculation he may be trying to extend his name recognition and reach new audiences who may be less likely to support Democrats, though some in the party aren’t a fan that he’s platforming those individuals.
During a recent podcast, he said he is against transgender athletes competing in women’s events, weighing in on a key culture war issue where Democrats have found themselves at odds with a majority of voters.
He has established himself as a leading opponent of Trump in his second term so far, and some Republicans are viewing him as a formidable candidate. But he would enter the general election with some voters viewing him as a California liberal, a criticism Harris struggled to shake in 2024 despite her shift to the center.
Former Japan Ambassador Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Emanuel, whose extensive career in politics also includes the titles of U.S. congressman and Chicago mayor, hasn’t been viewed as the most likely candidate, but a report from Politico’s Jonathan Martin suggests it’s an open secret that Emanuel may run.
“Just as striking is to talk to anybody in high-level Democratic politics who knows Emanuel—which is to say most everyone—and hear how matter of fact they are about the inevitability of his candidacy,” Martin wrote. “The biggest Rahm-may-run tell, though, is that he’s already road-testing the first outlines of a stump speech, or at least an issue he can make his own.”
Since Harris’ loss, Emanuel has been a leading voice calling for the party to embrace a more centrist approach and could appeal to more moderate Democrats. He was floated as a Democratic National Committee (DNC) chair candidate, and has made several media appearances.
But his candidacy would do little to excite progressives, with whom he has been at odds throughout his political career. He may also be less exciting for voters looking to a new generation of leadership.
He also has not publicly confirmed that he’s eyeing a presidential bid.
Emanuel told Politico, “I’ve only been back two months, I have no idea what I’m doing. I’m not done with public service and I’m hoping public service is not done with me.”
Former Vice President Kamala Harris
Whether Harris decides to make another go at the White House is the biggest question looming over the potential field of candidates.
Following her defeat in November, she said she plans to “stay in the fight,” but hasn’t said exactly how she plans to do so. She is speculated to be considering a California gubernatorial run, but many Democrats want her to run for president again.
A recent SurveyUSA poll of 835 voters who haven’t backed Trump, conducted from February 13 to February 16, found that 37 percent of respondents prefer Harris in 2028.
On one hand, not all Democrats blame her for the presidential loss to Trump. Some say the race was always going to be difficult to win due to inflation and criticism toward the party dismissing concerns about former President Joe Biden’s age.
Others, however, argue there were plenty of errors made on the campaign trail, from refusing to distance herself from Biden or touting an endorsement from former GOP Representative Liz Cheney, which critics say alienated key Democratic constituencies. These critics believe other Democrats would be better positioned to lead the party moving forward.
Harris hasn’t said she plans to run again, and Politico reported earlier this month that she plans to make a decision about the gubernatorial race by summer’s end.
Who Else May Run?
Dozens of other Democrats have been named as potential presidential candidates. These hopefuls can differentiate themselves not only through policy, but by embracing broader social components and changes in the information environment, such as how former President Barack Obama harnessed social media in his 2008 campaign, Panagopoulos said.
Governors JB Pritzker of Illinois, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan have been named potential candidates. Like Buttigieg, Whitmer also turned down the opportunity to run for Senate in her home state.
Shapiro and Whitmer both have strong electoral records from battleground states that backed Trump last year, but have less national name recognition.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who was Harris’ running mate, has been named a potential candidate as well. He told The New Yorker earlier this month that he would “certainly consider” a run, but hasn’t made anything official.
Some progressives are rallying behind Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, but she has not expressed interest in running, and it’s unclear whether she’d be able to win support from more moderate Democrats and independents.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear hasn’t ruled out a presidential run. He was viewed as a potential VP choice for Harris, and has managed to win over Republicans in a solidly conservative state. But he doesn’t have quite the same level of national recognition as other potential candidates.
Other Democrats want a candidate who hasn’t held office, such as businessman Mark Cuban. Cuban, however, has ruled out a bid, Politico reported.
What People Are Saying
Panagopoulos, to Newsweek: “One of the main considerations for primary voters is electability, and I’m sure that it will be a top consideration in the 2028 race. As much as voters might be looking for specific policy positions, they’re also looking for candidates who can go on and win a general election, and that will be primary preoccupation in 2028. There’s a lot that can still happen between now and then, including the midterm elections.”
Brian Brokaw, who managed Harris’ campaign for California attorney general, recently told Politico: “I would pretty much guarantee you she [Harris] has no idea what her next move is. She is not someone who makes rash decisions. She takes, sometimes, a painfully long time to make decisions. Could she run for governor? Yes. Do I think she wants to run for governor? Probably not. Could she win? Definitely. Would she like the job? I don’t know. Could she run for president again? Yes.”
What Happens Next
Most candidates won’t start making official campaign announcements until after the midterms, but it’s not unprecedented for hopefuls to jump in early. Businessman Andrew Yang and former Representative John Delaney announced their 2020 campaigns in 2017.
The first primary contests will be held in early 2028. It’s unclear what the primary schedule will look like. Democrats moved South Carolina, a traditionally conservative state that delivered Biden a game-changing win in 2020, to the front of the schedule, but some Democrats want that changed for the next election cycle.
