What’s New
GOP political strategist Matt Gorman predicted on CNN Wednesday that Vice President Kamala Harris will not be the Democratic presidential nominee in 2028.
Newsweek reached out to the White House, Harris’ 2024 campaign and the Democratic National Committee via email for comment Wednesday afternoon.
Why It Matters
After Harris lost the election to President-elect Donald Trump, Democrats have been looking for lessons from the defeat, which occurred in both the Electoral College and the popular vote.
Democrats lost not only the presidency but also control of the Senate and failed to take control of the House, putting the Republicans in charge of both the executive and legislative branches. Meanwhile, the judicial branch is seen as leaning in the GOP’s favor after Trump nominated three justices to the Supreme Court during his first term, giving the Court a 6-3 conservative supermajority.
Some Democrats have called for major changes to the party to get the votes needed for victories in the next election cycle. Who will lead that effort is another question.
What To Know
On Wednesday, Gorman said during a panel discussion on CNN This Morning With Kasie Hunt that the Democratic Party will be without a leader after President Joe Biden leaves office in a few weeks.
“And that’s OK, right, because that allows these things to grow. I would feel fairly safe putting my money down that Kamala Harris will not be the nominee in ’28 for a host of reasons,” he said. “I think Trump is the aberration in that regard, not the rule…. I’ll tell you right now, [Pennsylvania Governor] Josh Shapiro is pretty happy he wasn’t on the ticket, I’m sure, and part of all that.”
Shapiro was one of the top contenders for Harris’ running mate before she chose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
Newsweek reached out to Shapiro’s office Wednesday afternoon via email for comment on whether he is considering a presidential run in 2028.
Meanwhile, in a postelection poll released by Puck/Echelon Insights, Harris was the most favored candidate among Democratic voters to be the party’s 2028 presidential nominee. A total of 1,010 likely voters were surveyed between November 14 and 18. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
Of the 457 polled who said they identify as a Democrat or support Democrats, 41 percent said that “if the 2028 Democratic presidential primary were being held today” they would vote for Harris, well ahead of second-placed California Governor Gavin Newsom with 8 percent. Shapiro came in third with 7 percent, followed by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Walz, with 6 percent each.
Vice President Kamala Harris waits in the Old Senate Chamber before swearing in new senators at the U.S. Capitol on December 9. A Republican political strategist predicts she will not be the Democratic presidential nominee in 2028.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
What People Are Saying
Conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro said in the wake of this year’s election: “For all the talk in the media about how [Harris] was ‘brat’ and joy and a wonderful candidate—[MSNBC’s] Joy Reid said she ran a flawless, flawless campaign—and for all of that, ain’t nobody talking about her running again in 2028. Weird.”
“I think we can all bid a fond farewell to Kamala Harris from the public scene,” Shapiro added. “We can bid a fond farewell to Tim Walz, who will be as memorable as [Virginia Senator] Tim Kaine, meaning that in about six months’ time you won’t remember who he is.”
Kaine was Hillary Clinton’s running mate in the 2016 presidential race, which Clinton lost to Trump.
Yvette Lewis, a member of the Democratic National Committee’s executive panel, said of Harris: “I would be on board 100 percent with whatever she decides to do. I think she is a phenomenal person. I think she was a phenomenal candidate,” according to a Politico article last week.
What Happens Next
On February 1, the Democratic National Committee will elect a new chair, along with other top leadership positions.
Meanwhile, Harris remains undecided about the next steps in her political career, CNN recently reported, citing several people who have talked to the vice president.
