Date: 2025-07-04 Page is: DBtxt003.php txt00028423
US POLITICS
DEMOCRATS
The 12 Democrats who make the most sense for 2028 ... There’s a
vacuum atop an adrift Democratic Party. Here’s who could fill it.
DEMOCRATS
The 12 Democrats who make the most sense for 2028 ... There’s a
vacuum atop an adrift Democratic Party. Here’s who could fill it.
Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris is accompanied by her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona) in Phoenix in August. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)
Original article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/01/25/2028-democrats-whitmer-shapiro-harris-buttigieg/
Peter Burgess COMMENTARY
My immediate reaction is that this is 'BORING!'
Partly this is the ultra 'bland' style of the presentation ... but it is also a reflexion of the rather uninspiring people being profiled. The Democrats have to do better ... a huge amount better.
I can't stand Trump ... and hate him with a passion ... but he gets my attention almost every day. Nobody on the Democratic bench gets my attention at all.
Something is very wrong and needs to be fixed!
Maybe Sanders and AOC can teach us something!
Peter Burgess
There’s a vacuum atop an adrift Democratic Party. Here’s who could fill it.
January 25, 2025
Analysis by Aaron Blake
Democrats are adrift.
The 2024 election was closer than many people realize — and a lot closer than President Donald Trump claims. But the blue team is acting like one that got destroyed and has no idea what to do next.
Democrats have no real message, most notably on the seemingly ripe issue of Trump pardoning people who assaulted police on Jan. 6, 2021. They’re in the midst of awkwardly caving to the right on immigration.
While Trump’s 2016 election was greeted with things like the half-million-strong Women’s March on Washington, there was nothing close to a repeat this time. The base is lethargic and uninspired. It almost seems like everyone has decided they just need to grin and bear it for a while, and then figure it out.
Part of the reason for that is not just dejection, but a dearth of Democratic leadership. Save for a few months at the tail end of the 2024 campaign, the party hasn’t had an authoritative, dominant leader for a long time. That’s because of the aged former president Joe Biden’s rapid disappearing act and inability to commandeer the bully pulpit in recent years.
What it all adds up to: A vacuum just waiting (and needing) to be filled — and probably, in 2028, the most wide-open Democratic presidential nominating contest since at least 2004.
So who could fill this void and assert control over the listless vessel that is the Democratic Party? Below are the Democrats who make the most sense, in approximate ascending order.
12. Tim Walz
The Democrats’ 2024 vice-presidential nominee wasn’t unpopular, but he didn’t really live up to the early hype — or pack as much appeal to rural voters as Democrats would have hoped. He seemed more comfortable auditioning for the VP pick than actually serving as a running mate. And his debate performance was not great. He’s on the map, but it’s hard to see Democrats thinking he’s the answer. He’s also talking about running for a third term as governor, even as tough political times loom in Minnesota.
11. Josh Stein
North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein (D) speaks at a Harris rally in Charlotte in November. Stein was handily elected as the state's governor last year. (Matt Ramey for The Washington Post)
Imagine this: A Jewish former state attorney general named Josh S. is swept into office as governor of a swing state, winning by a large margin thanks in part to a flawed GOP opponent. Josh Shapiro is clearly more of an option for Democrats right now, but the North Carolina governor was a very popular candidate in his own right, even winning over many Trump supporters. He’ll have a reelection campaign in 2028, but he seems to be the brightest star of Democrats’ 2024 governor class.
10. Andy Beshear
We’ve seen this story before: A candidate wins in a state that is much more aligned with the other party, and suddenly their stock is sky-high. But it’s hard to sustain that and be a national figure for years on end, given that the battles at home often pull you away from the base. Clearly the best thing for Beshear would have been being chosen as Harris’s running mate, having them win, and getting his foot in the door at the White House.
9. Gavin Newsom
The California governor’s stock could drop amid wildfires that have proved a nightmare for state and local officials. He’s a gifted messenger and clearly ambitious, but it’s doubtful Democrats will think a slick Californian is the answer to the ground they lost in 2024 on cultural issues.
8. Raphael G. Warnock
Sen. Raphael G. Warnock (D-Georgia) jokes with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) ahead of a Senate Finance Committee hearing this month. (Tom Brenner for The Washington Post)
The senator from Georgia has finally had some time to settle into the Senate, after having to run in 2020 and 2022. And freshman senators usually take some time to ease into national politics — which is probably healthy for Warnock, given he had never held office before. Because of his talents and electoral track record in a tough state, plenty of politicos will be looking at how he brands himself moving forward. Still, Warnock does face reelection in 2028, and Democrats might want him to try to hold a tough seat instead.
7. Wes Moore
The Maryland governor, who was elected in 2022, is playing off any interest in 2028, and he doesn’t have much of a national profile yet. The Barack Obama comparisons and hype so far don’t have much meat on the bones. But he’s certainly someone to keep an eye on and who could take advantage of the vacuum.
6. Ruben Gallego
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D) appears at a rally for Harris in Phoenix in October. (Anna Watts for The Washington Post)
The new senator from Arizona was the only Democratic Senate candidate to win a majority in a swing state in 2024 — even as Democrats won most such races. Some of that was thanks to his flawed GOP opponent, Kari Lake. But Gallego was popular and comfortable appealing to voters of all stripes. He also seemed to understand Democrats’ problems on immigration and with Latino voters before almost anyone else did. He’s probably the most intriguing new senator, and he won’t be up for reelection until 2030.
5. John Fetterman
The freshman senator from Pennsylvania overcame a stroke that left him struggling to speak in 2022 and crippling depression to emerge as one of the most interesting senators. While he was reputed as a liberal, he’s carved out a significant independent streak as a senator. He recently went on Joe Rogan’s podcast. He’s encouraged his party to “chill” about Trump and said he’s not “rooting against” the president, even going to Mar-a-Lago. That might not be what Democratic primary voters are looking for, but Fetterman is doing interesting things and could seemingly make an argument for how the party should talk to Trump voters. Democrats could certainly look at his large personality and willingness to challenge their internal status quo as a plus.
4. Kamala Harris
Harris delivers remarks at the White House in January. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post)
Her loss was a disappointment to her party, but it’s not clear how much better Democrats could have done, given the environment. She wasn’t an unpopular candidate, and she in fact overcame many early fears that she would be. But favorable numbers might not tell the whole story, and you could forgive Democrats for not wanting to line up behind her again. The big question now is whether she’ll run for California governor in 2026 — which would probably preclude a 2028 bid.
3. Pete Buttigieg
The former transportation secretary is as gifted a surrogate as Democrats have and is studied at speaking to Trump voters (often on Fox News). If Democrats internalize the idea that they need someone who can take their message to all corners of the country — a common theme on this list — but also be comfortable with pretty much any subject matter, he makes a lot of sense. For now, keep an eye on whether he runs for Michigan governor in 2026.
2. Gretchen Whitmer
The Michigan governor’s stock probably suffered in the 2024 election, through no fault of her own. Given Democrats have now lost to Trump twice with the only two female nominees they’ve ever run — and some wondered whether sexism is to blame — it seems likely they’ll be skittish about putting up another one for the foreseeable future (rightly or wrongly). But Whitmer’s qualifications are also some of the most substantial on this list. And because she’s term-limited, she’ll be out of a job come 2027.
1. Josh Shapiro
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) takes the stage to deliver remarks in support of Harris at Temple University in Philadelphia in August. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post)
More than a few Democrats have asked “what if” — what if Harris had picked the Pennsylvania governor instead of Walz? It’s doubtful any running mate would have made that much of a difference, and it’s not like Walz was a clear liability. But it’s easy to see Democrats longing for someone with Shapiro’s demonstrated political talents, messaging capabilities and crossover appeal. And while his often sounding a lot like Obama is kind of funny, that might be an asset now. Nostalgia is a powerful thing, especially when it recalls the Democrats’ best days of the 21st century.
What readers are saying
The comments on the potential Democratic candidates for the 2028 presidential election reflect skepticism and criticism of the current list, particularly regarding John Fetterman, who many commenters believe is not a viable candidate. There is a strong sentiment that the... Show more This summary is AI-generated. AI can make mistakes and this summary is not a replacement for reading the comments.
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By Aaron Blake
Aaron Blake is senior political reporter, writing for The Fix. A Minnesota native, he has also written about politics for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and The Hill newspaper.follow on X@aaronblake