I really don’t enjoy writing about 2028—I’m sure you might feel the same way.
Anyway, off-year elections have this predictable rhythm to them.
New Jersey, which is very blue, and Virginia, which leans blue, grab a lot of attention.
Even though he’s not on the ballot, Trump is still anticipated to be a significant factor during key election days in 2025.
Every day, President Donald Trump is in the headlines—sometimes numerous times—but he’s been pretty much absent from live campaigning. It seems he thinks things are messy, and he doesn’t want to be dragged into it.
Let’s be honest for a second. Unless you’re from Virginia or nearby, do you really know who’s running for governor? (That’s Abigail Spanberger, just to clarify.)
Here’s a bit of irony: there’s tons of coverage because, let’s face it, people love a good horse race. But after the initial excitement, only a handful of national reporters will bother to follow the story in the months to come. Campaigning can be thrilling, while governing? Well, that’s another story entirely. Been there, done that, covering state and local officials.
Also, Virginia has this bizarre rule where if you serve one term, you’re out. If folks believe Republican Glenn Youngkin is doing a decent job, why wouldn’t they want to vote for him again? It’s just puzzling.
Even though he’s stepped back, Mr. Trump, who recently backed Andrew Cuomo, continues to pop up as a factor in various campaigns—questions like who can challenge him and who’s to blame for the rising prices, the government shutdown, and all those chaos moments.
Trump gives a last-minute address to Republicans on the eve of the 2025 election.
This situation could be a blessing for Democrats, but Trump seems to think leaders like Chuck Schumer will just give in, so he’s avoided discussions with them. Instead, he’s choosing to highlight the rising costs of Obamacare—something he criticizes but has never proposed a solid replacement for during his terms.
Then you have the midterm elections coming up. Trump will certainly put in his effort there. Thankfully, Republicans have skipped some of the more outlandish candidates from the past (remember Christine O’Donnell’s controversial comments?).
Since there’s a slim Republican advantage, Democrats could make a significant move towards taking the House, which would fundamentally shift the last two years of Trump’s presidency. The Senate, however? Not as promising for them.
So, looking ahead to 2028. Ugh, I know it’s early. Even if Trump seems to have everything under his control, the day after the midterm elections, he could easily be seen as a lame duck. Yet, he’ll still make headlines.
Recently, Trump discussed the strength of his team, mentioning Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This seems to challenge the idea that the vice president is next in line. They’re friendly enough, but Rubio has way more experience in government and foreign policy, even though he’s had to give up some roles to please his superiors. I suspect Trump, who keeps saying he won’t run, will actually call the shots.
After the midterms, the hunt for Democratic candidates starts up. It could feature Gavin Newsom, Rahm Emanuel, or perhaps AOC, who’s increasingly reflecting the leftward tilt of her party, along with some governors you might not know.
Election Day serves as an early political challenge for Trump amidst ongoing government shutdown.
A lot hinges on whether voters are exhausted from Trump’s unpredictability by then and what the economy looks like. Then again, Barack Obama once gave an inspiring speech at a convention, but who really thought he’d end up beating the Clinton machine for a second term?
The media will probably turn its eyes to the Democratic race, looking at how Vance and Rubio are faring. Trump can create headlines in an instant. For example, after a judge’s ruling, he claimed he’d restore 50% of the SNAP food program—but now he’s saying there won’t be any funding at all to tighten the screws. He mentioned that many SNAP recipients are “mostly Democrats,” although he quickly added that party affiliation shouldn’t matter. It feels more like a tactic than anything.
Indeed, from the 30 states Trump took over last year, 25 rely more on food stamps than the national average.
Trump’s recent interview with Norah O’Donnell on CBS, under new management, had a viewership of 13.2 million, the highest ratings since the Capitol riots.
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So here we are in 2028. It wasn’t all that painful, was it?
Or was it?
