A diverse and crowded field of potential Democratic presidential hopefuls is already maneuvering for the 2028 election, signaling an unusually early start to what many believe will be one of the party’s most consequential primaries in decades.
The unofficial race gained momentum after former Vice President Kamala Harris confirmed she would not run for governor of California in 2026. When asked on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” if she passed on the governorship to seek a different office, Harris demurred, stating she wants to first “travel the country, listen to people, and talk with people” without the process being “transactional.”
However, Harris, 60, hinted at her ambitions by announcing she would be “sharing more details in the months ahead” about her future. Michael Feldman, a former senior adviser to Vice President Al Gore, said this was “pushing the door wide open” for a presidential bid. “I understand the optionality that creates for her: she shut a door, she’s opening another,” Feldman noted.
While Harris would enter a potential third presidential campaign with high name recognition and an established donor network, strategists warn she should not expect a clear path to the nomination. “There will be a contested primary,” Feldman predicted. “There will be a large field of people who feel like it’s their time and it’s their moment.”
This early jockeying comes as the Democratic party seeks to reboot its image amid historically low approval ratings. “More is riding on this pre-primary race than in most years because the party’s brand is in the toilet,” said Matthew Dallek, a political historian at George Washington University. “The only way to begin to improve it is through whoever the next presidential nominee will be.”
Aspiring candidates are not waiting. Many have already begun making pilgrimages to early-voting states, writing memoirs, and raising their national profiles. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, 60, delivered a sharp speech in New Hampshire in April, while Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, 45, is scheduled to attend two events there this month.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, 57, recently toured rural South Carolina, followed by Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, 47, who met with union leaders to discuss flipping red states. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., 48, also completed a four-day tour of the state. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, 43, visited Iowa in May, and though he claimed he “isn’t running for anything,” his forum focused heavily on the existential questions facing the country.
Beyond state visits, contenders are building their brands through media. Buttigieg has been active on the podcast circuit, as has Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, 46. Moore, whose name is often mentioned despite his denials of presidential ambition, recently said the party must “stop being the party of ‘no and slow’ and start being the party of ‘yes and now.'”
Significant campaign funds are also being amassed. Khanna, whose district is in Silicon Valley, had $14.2 million in his coffers at the end of June. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., 35, held $9.8 million after a record fundraising quarter, and Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., 51, had approximately $10.2 million.
As the field takes shape, major policy differences within the party are coming into focus. A recent debate on Capitol Hill highlighted these tensions when Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., a potential 2028 candidate, blasted fellow Democrats for supporting a GOP-backed package to increase police funding. “This, to me, is the problem with Democrats in America right now is we’re willing to be complicit to Donald Trump,” said Booker, 56.
The party is also grappling with the rise of left-wing populism, particularly concerning the cost of living. The primary win of Zohran Mamdani, 33, in the New York City mayoral race has intensified the debate between progressives and centrists. Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, 65, who is being encouraged to run by moderates, cautioned against fully embracing a socialist platform, arguing that while the American dream has become unaffordable, the solution is not “consulting the Democratic Socialists of America’s playbook.”
Foreign policy, particularly the conflict in Gaza, is another emerging fault line. Polling shows that sympathy for Palestinians is a powerful motivator for progressive voters. Former Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., who was opposed by pro-Israel groups in his reelection bid, noted that the issue is shifting the political landscape. “I expect a robust primary debate,” Bowman said, “and I hope that ideas rule the day over special interests.”
Democratic strategists believe these internal debates, while potentially contentious, are a necessary part of the party’s evolution. Amanda Litman, a veteran of the Obama and Clinton campaigns, said that while the process is “gonna be messy and personal,” it will “help us shape as a party, what we believe.”
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