Last week, I covered the most popular Republicans eyeing the 2028 presidency as well as the barriers they’ll likely face on the campaign trail. These are the top Democrats being considered, with additional input on their chances against candidates like JD Vance and Marco Rubio. As mentioned previously, it may seem early to be thinking about the next presidential election – but this is exactly the time when potential candidates start hitting hot states to measure their ability to compete. Thinking about the 2028 election now also inspires hope for the future.
Gavin Newsom
If there’s one trend among 2028 candidates, it’s governors. They’re the most frequent faces we’re seeing in early campaign stops like Iowa, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Gavin Newsom is one of them.
California Governor Newsom originally came from San Francisco during the COVID-19 pandemic, which he was criticized for, leading to a recall election that he barely won in 2021. In 2023, Newsom launched his own PAC (titled “Campaign for Democracy”) to take on “authoritarian leaders,” which led the Associated Press to believe he’s likely to run for president in 2028.
In other news, Newsom has taken an open stance on the ongoing gerrymandering happening across the country. Texas Republicans jumped at the chance to redistrict their votes when asked by Trump, which has resulted in Newsom stating California will perform its own redistricting ahead of schedule if pushed. In a letter to Trump by Newsom and reported by Politico, he explained, “If you will not stand down, I will be forced to lead an effort to redraw the maps in California to offset the rigging of maps in red states. But if the other states call off their redistricting efforts, we will happily do the same. And American democracy will be better for it.”
Unfortunately, Newsom suffers from the same condition as other Democrats on this list. He believes Democrats keep losing because they aren’t pandering enough to moderates and conservatives – rather than accepting the reality that they’re losing votes due to betraying their core party and the left. While Newsom has a decent track record supporting LGBTQIA+ rights, he vocalized conservative talking points recently regarding transgender inclusion in sports under the assumption that siding against trans rights might earn him meager votes for 2028.
There’s time between now and the official 2028 campaign season. California voters are angry with Newsom for his anti-transgender comments, and he still has time to cement faith with the general public and the LGBTQIA+ community. If he manages to do so, he’s an ideal candidate – but only if he overcomes the Democrats’ centrist hurdle.
Kamala Harris
After months of complete radio silence, Kamala Harris interviewed with Stephen Colbert at the end of July. Admittedly, she did the impossible – she came close to securing the presidency as a Black woman, despite being given just 107 days to campaign after Biden dropped out. In her interview with Colbert, Harris publicly stated that she will not be running for California governor in 2026 despite her high polling numbers amongst California voters. At the same time, Harris and her allies have refused to confirm or deny whether she will run for president again in 2028.
In any other timeline, Harris wouldn’t run again – she’d follow Hilary Clinton’s example and perhaps go for the governor position instead. But we live in strange times, where Donald Trump can continue a second nonconsecutive term with cabinet members like Dr. Oz, RFK Jr., and a short but passionate relationship with Elon Musk. If given the privilege to have her own campaign, Kamala Harris has a fighting chance. In 2028, Harris wouldn’t even be going up against Trump, whom she beat despite the odds in the limited debates Trump allowed her. And to Harris’s credit, she demolished Trump when they publicly debated.
The other major advantage Harris holds is her exposure. Americans still remember her 2024 run, which she can market well during a future presidential campaign since voters became familiar with her name.
However, the only way Harris will win is if she is able to unite the left. Donald Trump did not win the 2024 presidency because so many people voted for him over Harris; he won because enough voters boycotted Harris to cause her to fail (as well as numerous other reasons). Harris was overwhelmingly predicted to win despite her short campaign because she just had to maintain the same votes as Biden in 2020. But Americans were already frustrated with Biden failing to enact real change – Biden and the Democrats are edging more and more to the center, disenfranchising their fundamental left voter base. The media keeps flipping its stance on this fact because it’s difficult to digest. The few votes Harris and similar Democrats got from moderates in 2024 shot them in the foot because they lacked votes from their core left and failed to appeal to working-class moderates.
Democrats barely got Biden into office under the marketing strategy of “he’s not Trump” in 2020. Americans want change. They’re already unhappy with the changes Trump is forcing through policy and executive action. But can Democrats offer meaningful solutions? Harris holds the potential to win, but only if she can convince Democrats to stop pandering to conservative voters who will never switch sides. Harris can win if she can prove she’s more than Biden.
Gretchen Whitmer
Michigan is one of the remaining swing states of relative importance, headed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. She’s a strong Democrat in a state that has flipped back and forth across the political spectrum over the past several elections. She’s also one of the predominant figures who have rebelled against Trump earlier during this administration – which is why people are waiting for Whitmer to announce a presidential campaign for 2028.
During 2020, Whitmer managed to be one of Joe Biden’s finalists when he was considering his VP running mate. Compared to other candidates, she positioned herself as Trump’s foil and centered her campaign on Trump’s mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, Whitmer has gone out of her way to make public amends with Trump since he returned to office, which has annoyed and upset some of her Democrat colleagues. She was one of the first to meet with Trump when he arrived in Michigan earlier this year, according to the BBC. In their article elaborating on her recent decisions, they said, “Whitmer, however, has made the calculation that it’s better for her – and her state – if she finds a way to work with [Trump].”
Does Whitmer stand strong enough to take on the presidency? Realistically, she will fail to convince the left to vote for her unless she makes major changes leading up to 2028. As mentioned with other Democrats considering the presidency, it’s worth remembering that Harris lost because she failed to gain the loyalty of left voters who voted for Biden in 2020.
Wes Moore
Earlier this summer, Maryland Governor Wes Moore publicly stated that he does not plan to run for president in 2028 – but nobody really believes him. Why?
Well, in short, because Moore is pulling out many of the pre-campaign moves Barack Obama did leading up to 2008. Around the same time, Obama stated very firmly that he did not intend to run for either president or vice president in 2008. Moore just visited South Carolina, sparking interest due to his likable personality, military background, and a proven track record on racial justice issues. His campaign for governor was founded on the belief that Democrats need to return to serving the middle-class – voters have lost faith in Dems as the workers’ party, which is why independent voters have been leaning right when Trump promises to “fix the economy.” On the other hand, Moore will come under fire if he decides to run due to his strong defense of Israel despite their ongoing genocide of Palestine.
Pete Buttigieg
Out of all the Democrat candidates assumed to be running for 2028, Pete Buttigieg is at the top of the list. He’s made a point to be the most visible, touring in places like Iowa earlier than his colleagues. As of now, Buttigieg is the primary contender to run against Vance for the next presidency – assuming Vance manages to take Trump’s mantle.
As Biden’s former Secretary of Transportation, Buttigieg has an extensive political history despite being so young. He’s also a phenomenal speaker with military experience and served in the US Navy in Afghanistan. He still has pitfalls that will ruin his chances for 2028 if he doesn’t overcome Harris’s 2024 failure.
Like Kamala Harris, progressives don’t favor Buttigieg. His policies benefit the upper middle class and elites, cementing the public’s view that the Democrats are no longer the party for the working class. For Buttigieg to win, he will have to unite progressives and present the opportunity for real society change – Harris could have won, but she failed to secure those votes by repeatedly pandering to conservatives and the upper middle class rather than the left. Buttigieg will face similar obstacles in addition to making his own identity separate from Biden if Harris runs as a competitor.
Buttigieg is already hitting roadblocks – one of the key policies that pushed the core left from voting for Kamala was her refusal to take a hard stance for Palestine. She had hoped the position (or lack thereof) would garner votes from the center, and came up embarrassingly short. Calling the Palestine-Israel situation a ‘litmus test’ for Democrats, Politico explained, “Across the party’s still-inchoate 2028 presidential field, ambitious Democrats like Buttigieg are reevaluating their positions and staking out their territory… The Democratic National Committee is weighing two different resolutions on the matter, with progressives pushing for elected Democrats to endorse an arms embargo on Israel and recognize a Palestinian state.” While Buttigieg has a clearer stance than Kamala and isn’t an avid Israel endorser like Wes Moore and Josh Shapiro, can he convince the left to support him?
Lastly, Buttigieg will have to weaponize his identity as a gay man in some fashion. It’s the truth. On one hand, large corporations will rally behind the chance to donate to a man who may potentially become “the first gay president.” We can rest easy knowing Pete won’t pass laws that undermine key issues like gay marriage, abortion access, and discrimination laws. But on the other hand, Pete has already upset some folks in the community for giving lukewarm answers in defense of greater restrictions on transgender athletes.
Pete Buttigieg has a shot to become the first queer president of the United States, similar to Kamala Harris’s chances of becoming the first female president – but only if he can overcome Harris’s hurdles.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Sitting next to Bernie Sanders, AOC is one of the most left-leaning Democratic candidates for 2028. And unlike previous elections, 2028 will be the first time AOC will be eligible to run due to her young age. She embodies many of the ideals that the working class of America actually wants, which is why young people love her so much alongside Bernie. They’re against mega-corporation tax cuts, advocating for equality, universal healthcare coverage, affordable college, greater labor rights, and other topics the average American takes great interest in.
So why is there so much hate for AOC and Bernie Sanders? After all, Bernie has tried to run for the presidency twice and fallen short. The short answer (as conspiratorial as it sounds) is that capitalism motivates companies and media reporters to demonize AOC and Sanders since they directly benefit from infringing on the working class. The United States has a long history condemning all forms of socialism and communism out of patriotic fervor – and while AOC and Sanders are quick to point out their form of socialism is aligned with the democratic version present in Europe rather than Cuba, Russia, and North Korea, there’s a lot of funding put into labeling them as lunatic socialists and misrepresenting the ideas behind the Democratic Socialist Party of America.
In reality, AOC only seems extremely left when compared to Trump. She’s a better political foil than self-proclaimed ones like Whitmer, and she’s even a populist like Trump since she centers on the struggles of everyday people. Her politics are considered mild in comparison to the greater established world – US politics don’t make much sense to others overseas because our understanding of conservative versus liberal is so warped by the Overton window.
Could AOC pursue the presidency? Yes. Will she? For 2028, it’s unlikely unless she is supported directly by Bernie Sanders. Democrats need to lean harder left to regain the support of the working class, but the working class still misunderstands AOC’s brand of socialism to rally nationally behind her. Bernie has tried twice and fallen short because the Democrats refuse to allow him to become their primary candidate, since they benefit heavily from corporate donations.
Andy Beshear
He’s the underdog for 2028, but he recently got wider attention after appearing in South Carolina in July. Andy Beshear is the Democratic governor of Kentucky, a hard red state that supports his working-class policies despite voting for another Trump presidency. Beshear’s success is what Democrats like Harris and Newsom want to accomplish by appealing to the center and moderate right – but they come across as disingenuous and fall short.
In his own words, Beshear said to the crowd in South Carolina, “If you don’t know me… I’m the guy who beat Donald Trump’s hand-picked candidate by five points in 2023.” He barely registered in national polls behind bigger names like Harris, Newsom, and Buttigieg. In a comment reported by Politico, Michael Morley from Tim Ryan’s 2020 campaign stated, “Nobody knew who the governor of Arkansas [Bill Clinton] was either, but it’s certainly a more challenging media environment now. He has the time to introduce himself, and my informed assumption is that’s part of what he’s doing here [in South Carolina].”
Unlike other Democrats, Beshear can appeal to working-class Americans across the political spectrum. He’s offered advice in the past to his colleagues leading up to the 2024 election, but they ignored him. Beshear is a hard advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights, condemning Democrats who have tossed aside transgender issues as “too controversial” because it’s that mentality that cost them both the presidency and Congress. Appealing to moderates and sticking up for LGBTQIA+ rights aren’t an “either-or” situation. He uses Biblical scripture to defend his vetoes against discriminatory laws created by the Kentucky legislature, coming across as genuinely for the working class in a time when Democrats are their furthest allies.
Bernie Sanders
In 2016, Sanders came second to Hilary Clinton before she ultimately lost to Donald Trump; in 2020, Sanders came up in second against Joe Biden. He identifies as an independent and not quite a Democrat, but his beef with the Democratic Party is what helped him get to second place. Sanders’s campaign was fueled by grassroots donations rather than megacorporate donors, allowing him to rally against capitalism’s many tyrannies that prevent working-class policies like universal healthcare and affordable college. In the end, the Democrats still refused to support Bernie in favor of centrist candidates like Clinton, Biden, and Harris.
Bernie Sanders has currently stated he does not intend to run for the presidency in 2028 due to his increasing age. At some point, the man has to retire – which is why some theorize one underlying reason for the 2025 Fight Oligarchy tour with AOC was to metaphorically hand off the torch to AOC when they traveled across the country in rebellion of Trump and Musk’s anti-American policies.
Like AOC, Bernie is a left-wing populist. He favors policies and ideas that benefit regular people rather than the ruling class. Even though his platform is tied to FDR’s New Deal and Nordic socialism, upper-class Democrats despise Sanders’s politics for being “too radically left.” He encapsulates the core left of the Democrats’ voting base, those who refused to vote for Kamala Harris in 2024 due to her lukewarm takes on foreign policy, police reform, healthcare, labor rights, and inflation.
J.B. Pritzker
A couple of months ago, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said he wasn’t intending to run for the 2028 presidency. As of this week, that’s changed – Pritzker make a public statement during NBC’s ‘Meet the Press,’ “I can’t rule anything out, but what I can rule in is that no matter what decisions I make, and I mean in particular about what I do here in the state of Illinois, is about the people of Illinois.”
He announced his reelection campaign for a third term as governor back in June, but folks don’t believe his claim that he’s not eyeing the presidency. The last president to serve from Illinois was Barack Obama, and Pritzker has used Trump’s second term to garner attention as one of his main opponents. He gave harbor to Texas Democrats who sought to defend their state from biased redistricting. Pritzker has signed numerous bills into law that establish Illinois as a sanctuary state for anyone to come seeking abortion, gender-affirming care, and protection from ICE deportation. Back in 2024, Pritzker was considered as one of the finalists for Harris’s running mate before she went with Tim Walz of Minnesota.
If JB Pritzker is planning to run in 2028, he’s doing all the right moves. He’s playing it safe by keeping his cards close and not announcing his public intention to run, but he’ll have to publicly declare his intent eventually. Compared to Harris and Buttigieg, he has less name recognition – but he’s a fresher face and not associated with the last failed election. Yet Pritzker is exceedingly wealthy and considered out of touch with the working class – and Illinois has a difficult history with corruption, so he’ll have to manage his own reputation and Illinois’ baggage to succeed.
Josh Shapiro
As governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro has been tapped as a potential 2028 candidate – largely due to his standing as the governor of a contended swing state. Due to the broken electoral college system, Pennsylvania is disproportionately important. Compared to other contenders on this list, he has an extensive political background before serving as governor, including his term as a State Representative, County Commissioner, and Attorney General.
Like Michigan’s Whitmer, Shapiro has appeal because he manages to appeal in a politically divided state. This makes him lucrative to the Democratic Party since they’re likely still hoping to garner moderate votes like they failed to in 2024. But like Prikzer in Illinois, Shapiro has officially declined to state whether he plans to run for the presidency due to his strong focus on remaining governor. Of course, the question remains: Could Josh Shapiro secure the presidency if he chose to run? Possibly, but he’s not currently a strong contender with folks like Buttigieg, Harris, and even Pritzker in the race.
Jill Stein
Okay, Jill Stein isn’t a Democrat – but she’s worth mentioning. Beyond the two major parties, it’s difficult to make educated guesses on what third-party candidates will run in 2028. The electoral system the United States uses pushes third-party candidates out of the way, incentivizing just two options through our “all or nothing” electoral college. While I can’t make any legitimate guesses on who might run for the Libertarian Party, we know who will run for the Green Party.
Jill Stein has run as the Green Party’s candidate in 2012, 2016, and 2024. She’s considered a perennial candidate and has verbalized considering running in 2028 immediately after her loss in 2024. Stein and the Green Party offer solutions that many Americans want to see implemented, ideas that are “too far left” for centrist Democrats to consider. And unlike the Democratic Socialist of America, the Green Party has a longer, more stable history in minor politics.
Of course, Jill Stein will not win the 2028 election. The Green Party may surprise us and nominate another candidate, but Stein has run so many times that she’s become more of a joke than an authentic choice. And the Green Party still has to overcome the US’s broken political system that pits them as impossible.
Honorable Mentions
Josh Green
Ro Khanna
Mark Kelly
Cory Booker
Ruben Gallego
Andrew Cuomo
Jon Ossoff
Raphael Warnock