The Democratic Party is licking its wounds after Vice President Harris lost to President-elect Trump, but it is already focused on who will lead the party in the 2028 presidential election.
It looks like it's going to be a pretty open battle.
What is certain is that Trump himself will not be on the ballot, as the Constitution limits him to two terms. Vice President-elect J.D. Vance is likely to be the Republican front-runner to become the next presidential candidate.
The Democratic Party may have a plethora of candidates, and disagreements within the party about what to prioritize.
Some Democrats say the party needs a fresh start with an infusion of new blood for the next presidential election.
Some say Harris deserves another run for president, pointing to the 74 million votes cast for her earlier this month.
“Just like in 2016, we're a little lost and rudderless and don't really know what we want to do going forward,” one Democratic strategist admitted.
What you do see is a crowded field.
Early names include everyone from Ms. Harris to Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock to the state's governor. Wes Moore of Maryland, Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Phil Murphy of New Jersey.
The top candidates are:
kamala harris
Democrats, at least for the most part, have not pinned the blame for the loss on Ms. Harris.
The person receiving the most criticism is President Biden, who withdrew from the race in July and endorsed his vice president.
Democrats argue that in many ways the race Harris took over from Biden was not the one she would have run had she been the candidate in the first place.
“In many ways, this was still Joe Biden's election. Even though she was ultimately the nominee, there were still many constraints, including her inability to distance herself from him when necessary. ” said one supporter of the vice president.
At the same time, Harris has shown he can run an impressive campaign in a short race period, according to those eager to run again.
The vice president's political instincts have also grown, and he now has the understanding and experience of someone who ran a billion-dollar campaign.
She is also famous. A poll conducted by Emerson this week showed Harris leading the other likely candidates in 2028.
To be sure, there are many reasons to think that Ms. Harris will not be a candidate and will not survive a competitive primary.
Gender may be a factor. The last two times the Democratic Party nominated a woman to be the presidential standard-bearer, the candidate lost to Trump. Some Democrats may want to go in a different direction.
Harris also led a $1 billion campaign that she lost. And her campaign was far from perfect. Some Democrats think it would be foolish to choose the same candidate in 2028 who lost in 2024.
Harris also told allies she wants to keep her options open. Some say that if she doesn't run for president again, she could easily run for governor of California.
gavin newsome
Long before Mr. Biden withdrew from the race, the California governor had positioned himself as a possible candidate in case the president decided not to run for re-election.
In many ways, he became the Democratic Party's bulwark against Trump.
Throughout the Biden administration, Newsom faced off against Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, which pleased Democrats who wanted a leader who could punch Republicans in the face.
Another Democratic strategist said, “He's spoiled the fight, and now there's a party that wants to get shot in the arm.”
Mr. Newsom will be able to raise money, and he is nationally known and leads a heavily populated Democratic state.
He has identified himself as part of the Trump resistance and has already called for a special session of the California Legislature to “defend California's values and fundamental rights in the face of the incoming Trump administration.”
Can the California Democratic Party win the presidential general election? Nothing like this has happened yet in U.S. history, and many Democrats are wondering.
But Newsom is certainly a strong candidate in 2028.
Gretchen Whitmer
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has long been seen as a possible presidential candidate.
Some Democrats say they wish this term's nomination contest had been more open-ended and believe Whitmer would have been a stronger candidate in the general election. Some people are.
Whitmer will face questions about her gender in 2028, as Harris lost to Trump in 2024 and Hillary Clinton lost to Trump in 2016.
“The next candidate is always a referendum on the last candidate,” said Kristi Setzer, a Democratic strategist.
“I think Harris ran a much better race than anyone had hoped. [but] The obvious conclusion is that we should not run women of color or women. Unfortunately, I don't think anyone has a different analysis. ”
Whitmer's fans say the Michigan governor is proving that Democrats can not only win in competitive “blue wall” states, but also have successful policies.
Whitmer was a front-runner to be Biden's running mate in 2020, and her political star status has risen since then.
She also continues to raise millions of dollars for her super PAC, Fight Like Hell PAC, according to federal campaign finance filings.
“She's the real deal,” said one Democratic lawmaker who spoke with her in recent months.
Josh Shapiro
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro emerged in a stronger position after Democrats lost the White House, even though Harris lost the state.
She is widely seen as Harris' second choice as running mate after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and there will be questions about whether she has made a difference in the blue wall state.
“You never know how it's going to turn out, but he certainly got a lot of attention for it,” said one Democratic donor. “And I know that many of us believe he has the talent to someday be in high-level office. He has a certain gravitas.”
Mr. Shapiro maintains solid approval ratings in the state even as he increases his national profile.
But polls show he still has work to do in building his name identity. In a poll conducted this week by Emerson, only 3% of those surveyed said they supported him.
pete buttigieg
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has been viewed by Democrats as a potential future for the party since he ran for president in 2020.
The 42-year-old's tenure as Biden's transportation secretary hasn't exactly been smooth sailing, but Democratic senator after Democrat says he's arguably the party's best communicator since former President Barack Obama. .
He's comfortable in front of large crowds and on Fox News, an appeal to Democrats who say the party needs to do more to win over the support of working-class men who flock to Trump. . For the time being, he is polling ahead of most Democrats.
JB Pritzker
After Biden's dismal debate performance in June, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker may seek the nomination in the open primary at the party's convention in the Illinois governor's hometown of Chicago. He was one of the Democrats that many people thought.
As heir to the Hyatt hotel chain, Pritzker was able to build up his campaign fund easily and quickly.
He also has a string of legislative accomplishments that could be attractive to Democrats.
He signed a bill raising the state's minimum wage to $15. He also signed several reproductive rights bills.
Along with Colorado Governor Jared Polis, he helped form the Democratic Governors Coalition, known as Governors Defending Democracy.
Democrats also praised Trump for going after him the day after he was elected earlier this month.
“I want to remind those who come to Illinois and try to take away our freedom, opportunity and dignity that a happy warrior is still a warrior,” he said. “You came for my people, you came through me.”
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
When Democrats talk about the future of their party, the 35-year-old New York congressman's name always comes up first.
Democrats have long admired Ocasio-Cortez's ability to “cut through the BS and tell it like it is,” a second Democratic strategist said.
“She's someone who can block out the noise and doesn't talk like Washington.”
Democrats argue that Ocasio-Cortez will have little trouble attracting young voters and using social media, podcasts and other online tools, as she has done since winning Congress in 2018. I am doing it.
Ocasio-Cortez once aligned with progressives such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (R-Vermont), but has since supported more centrist candidates.
Still, some Democrats argue that she still represents the left wing of the party to some voters, and that could harm her if she pursues higher office. There is.
“She and the 'team' started pushing too hard and too soon,” said the first strategist. “DC doesn't work that way. And our party doesn't work that way. We need to get back to basics.”
