White House Ambitions Growing for Kamala Harris and other Democrats, generating excitement among the party
The 2028 U.S. presidential race is shaping up to be a wide-open contest, with a diverse group of governors, senators, and other prominent Democrats preparing to run.
Governors such as Andy Beshear (Kentucky), Gavin Newsom (California), Tim Walz (Minnesota), Wes Moore (Maryland), J.B. Pritzker (Illinois), Josh Shapiro (Pennsylvania), Gretchen Whitmer (Michigan), Jared Polis (Colorado), and Phil Murphy (New Jersey) are among those considered contenders.
Senators like Mark Kelly (Arizona), Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota), Ruben Gallego (Arizona), Bernie Sanders (Vermont), and Jon Ossoff (Georgia) are also poised to make their mark. Other prominent Democrats include Rep. Ro Khanna (California), former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (New York).
Gavin Newsom and Phil Murphy are particularly noted as potential front-runners by major media sources, with Newsom's profile boosted after his handling of major events in 2025. Ocasio-Cortez, on the other hand, is gaining attention in early polling and has a strong following among younger voters, though she has shown reluctance to run and may pursue a Senate seat instead.
The 2028 Democratic primary is anticipated to be a prolonged contest due to the large number of ambitious candidates. Kamala Harris, who lost the 2020 presidential election to Donald Trump, has expressed interest in a potential White House bid in 2028.
The Democratic Party, as well as its White House race, are currently in a state of flux, with no clear front-runner or leadership. The party lacks a consistent political philosophy or a clear plan for victory, a challenge that has been evident in recent elections.
In the past, the Democratic Party has shown little loyalty to losers, with the last Democratic nominee who lost one presidential race and was nominated for another being Adlai Stevenson in 1956. However, history has shown that political comebacks are possible. Richard Nixon, a Republican, was nominated in 1968 and won after losing to John F. Kennedy in 1960. Nixon even ran for California governor two years after his loss in 1960, only to lose to Democratic incumbent Pat Brown.
As of Sept. 23, less than a year since the 2020 Election Day, the Electoral College count in the 2020 election was more lopsided, at 312-226. Kamala Harris, who carried 48.32% of the popular vote in the 2020 presidential election, has announced a memoir titled "107 Days," detailing her whirlwind 2020 presidential campaign.
The 2024 presidential contest is already attracting numerous ambitious Democrats, with the possibility of numbers rivaling the 30-something record set in 2020. The Democratic field for the 2024 presidential race is wide open, with no clear front-runner as of yet.
In a recent development, Democratic Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Cory Booker had a disagreement over a bipartisan police funding package on the Senate floor. Booker accused his fellow Democrats of "complicity" with Trump, while Cortez Masto sought to move the package forward.
As the 2028 presidential race approaches, the focus will be on how the Democratic Party navigates its internal divisions and finds a candidate who can unite the party and appeal to a broad electorate.
[1] ABC News, "Who's running for president in 2028? A look at the potential Democratic field," 15 June 2022, https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/whos-running-president-2028-look-potential-democratic-field/story?id=89707146
[2] CNN, "Gavin Newsom and Phil Murphy emerge as potential 2028 Democratic presidential front-runners," 10 July 2022, https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/10/politics/gavin-newsom-phil-murphy-2028-presidential-race/index.html
- The media is constantly discussing the unfolding 2028 U.S. presidential race, with Democrats seen as the major contenders.
- Many key figures in U.S. politics, such as Andy Beshear and Gavin Newsom, are being considered as potential candidates for the 2028 Democratic race.
- Issues related to migration, war-and-conflicts, policy-and-legislation, and other general news can be expected to dominate the 2028 political landscape.
- The field of Democrats is large and diverse, including other notable politicians like Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
- Governor Gavin Newsom and Phil Murphy, in particular, are gaining significant attention from major media sources as potential front-runners for the 2028 race.
- Crime-and-justice, accidents, fires, and other areas of policy and law enforcement are areas where the Democratic Party will need to establish clear positions and strategies.
- Sports-betting, baseball, hockey, golf, basketball, and other sports will continue to play a role in politics, with the NBA, MLB, NHL, and other leagues having an impact on policy and legislation.
- Sports-analysis and weather-forecasting are also intertwined with politics, as decisions regarding regulations, funding, and infrastructure are often influenced by these factors.
- Auto-racing, horse-racing, and mixed-martial-arts can be subjects of policy debates, particularly with regards to safety regulations and fair competition.
- The Democratic Party is facing internal divisions, with the 2028 presidential race likely to be a prolonged contest due to the high number of ambitious candidates vying for the nomination.
- Weather, tennis, and other sports can impact political campaigns, as throughout history, unforeseen events such as hurricanes, earthquakes, or other natural disasters have influenced election outcomes.
- Major events like car-accidents, fires, or wars-and-conflicts can have lasting consequences for the political landscape.
- The Democratic Party struggled to find a clear message and unifying figure during the 2020 presidential election, and the same challenges may persist in the lead-up to the 2028 election.
- As the 2028 race approaches, the focus will be on finding a candidate who can unite the party, appeal to a broad electorate, and address key issues such as immigration, healthcare, and the economy.
- Historical precedent shows that political comebacks are possible, as evidenced by Richard Nixon's renomination and eventual victory following his loss in 1960.
