5 Democrats who could run for president in 2028

With the 2024 election over and Donald Trump headed back to the White House, some political insiders and pundits are now eyeing the ballot for 2028.

It’s too early to say which issues will take center stage for the next presidential election, although good or bad, the economy is usually at the top.

Regardless, here are a few Democrats whose names have already been floated at taking a stab at the White House run in 2028.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has largely been quiet about her national ambitions.

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Her swift ascent over two decades — from law school graduate to Michigan’s governor — has established her as a prominent figure within the Democratic Party.

Her status was solidified in 2022 with a decisive reelection and her party’s success in flipping both chambers of the state legislature, granting Democrats full control for the first time in nearly four decades.

Whitmer first caught national attention as the Michigan Senate minority leader in 2013.

Whitmer has been pushing the topic of abortion access in her role as co-chair of the Biden campaign, saying he is on the "right side" of the abortion fight.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom

Democrat Gavin Newsom easily won a second term as California’s governor in 2022.

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Nationally, Newsom has sought the role of party messenger, using some of his campaign money to pay for ads in Florida and Texas targeting those state’s conservative governors. Newsom has said repeatedly his goal is to revamp the Democratic Party’s strategy, urging others to follow his example of a more aggressive style.

However, a potential Newsom presidential campaign would have to answer for a host of California’s most stubborn problems, including an ever expanding homeless population and an increase in crime that has contributed to a general sense of unease among voters.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro

With his history of winning three statewide elections in Pennsylvania, Gov. Josh Shapiro is seen as someone with particular appeal to moderate voters.

Shapiro is a popular first-term governor who two years ago was elected in a battleground state that is seen as critical to Democrats’ path to win the White House.

With his background as a former state attorney general, like Vice President Kamala Harris, he also stands out for his forceful defenses of the White House and critiques of former president Donald Trump.

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He is a staunch proponent of abortion rights but is also seen as a moderate on energy policy, a significant issue in his natural gas producing state.

Shapiro, who is Jewish, has aggressively confronted what he viewed as antisemitism cropping up from pro-Palestinian demonstrations and has professed solidarity with Israel in its drive to eliminate Hamas.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is the state’s first Black governor.

Moore is a best-selling author and former CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation, an anti-poverty nonprofit. He also is a Rhodes scholar and a combat veteran who served in Afghanistan.

Moore punctuated his inauguration with references to Black history, beginning with the enslaved people who once arrived by ship at the Annapolis City Dock, which was once a regional slave port and the site of a memorial to enslaved African Kunta Kinte, who arrived there in 1767 and was written about in Alex Haley’s book "Roots."

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg previously ran for president in 2020 before ending his bid. He was the first openly gay candidate to seriously contend for the presidency — and among the youngest ever.

Buttigieg, who rose from relative obscurity as an Indiana mayor to a barrier-breaking, top-tier candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, then tapped for transportation secretary.

Buttigieg has repeatedly criticized U.S. airlines for chronic cancellations and shoddy customer servicee.