New York — There was a time when presidential candidates were shy about their ambitions, crisscrossing the country under the guise of helping other candidates and sidestepping their obvious plans when pressed.
Not so for some Democrats are considering a run in 2028. With no clear party leader and Democratic voters eager for a fight, some potential candidates are becoming more transparent about their intentions, dispensing with pretensions while trying to get maximum clarity at a time when authenticity is needed most.
“Of course I’m thinking about it. I haven’t ruled it out,” New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker recently told Fox News during a news conference. Journey to early voting in New HampshireAlthough he stressed that his focus is on 2026, when he will run for re-election.
California Governor Gavin Newsom told CBS when pressed: “I would lie otherwise. I would just lie and I can’t do it.” Whether he would consider running After the midterm elections next year.
To be sure, many Democrats remain cautious.
Of the dozens of potential 2028 candidates the Associated Press requested to interview to discuss the changing dynamic, none were immediately available. Some Democrats dodge questions and say their attention is elsewhere even as they campaign for others in early-voting states.
On the Republican side, there is a very different dynamic brewing beneath the surface. Potential nominees are keeping a low profile amid expectations that Pres Donald Trump He will play the role of kingmaker in choosing his potential successor.
Presidential campaign strategists say Democrats’ less guarded approach makes sense given the wide-open field in the 2028 election and the sheer number of candidates vying for attention. Others who have said they are considering a run include Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who was also White House chief of staff, and Hawaii Gov. Josh Green.
“The old rules don’t apply to anything anymore,” said Jess O’Connell, a Democratic strategist who advised Pete Buttigieg’s 2020 presidential campaign. She said the change was a good thing for the party.
“You have to be there every day to fight and share your vision,” she said. “And I think the more runway they have to talk to people in this moment and communicate about meeting the needs of the future, the better.”
Alex Conant, a veteran of the Republican presidential campaigns, Marco Rubio, the former Florida senator who now serves as Trump’s secretary of state, and Tim Pawlenty, the former Minnesota governor, said the dynamics of the emerging Democratic primary, with no clear nominee, have changed the candidates’ calculus.
“I think the Democratic primary will be the longest primary of our lifetime. It’s hard to remember a field this open. The Democratic base is so hungry for someone to take on Trump and take back the White House,” he said. “The busier the place, the earlier it is important to start.”
He noted that candidates are also “immediately more important if you might become the next president,” which increases the incentive to say the quiet part out loud.
Voters these days are also averse to the kind of political discourse that was once the norm.
“One of the lessons Trump has learned is that people want authenticity,” Conant said. “Voters reject candidates who sound like politicians, so the rhetorical tricks that politicians have used for decades to avoid answering questions are now irritating voters.”
Not everyone has adopted this approach.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker played coy on stage during a recent interview with journalist Kara Swisher, repeatedly dodging her questions about his expected timeline.
“Blah, blah,” she answered as he tried to focus on talking about the strength of the Democratic bench.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro was equally circumspect, refusing to acknowledge any White House ambitions or even commit to running again for governor, even as the shadow of 2028 followed him wherever he went. But during an appearance on “The Breakfast Club” radio show last month, speaking about the arson attack on his official residence, he sounded like someone keen to stay on the scene.
“I love public service,” he said. “You can’t walk away now, with everything that’s at stake…this is not the time to walk away.”
His perceived national ambitions became a frequent line of attack for his would-be GOP rival for governor and state treasurer Stacey Garrity.
“We need someone who is more interested in Pennsylvania than Pennsylvania Avenue,” Garrity said recently on a conservative radio show in Philadelphia.
That’s one of the risks the candidates face, said Mike DuHaime, a longtime GOP strategist who has advised the presidential campaigns of Chris Christie, John McCain, Rudy Giuliani and George W. Bush.
He noted that in 2013, Christie’s opponent in the New Jersey governor’s race often tried to use his national buzz as a campaign issue against him.
Candidates also need to strike a balance and make sure they don’t distract from midterm races by diverting money or attention away from candidates who need it, Duhaime said.
“I think it makes sense not to be so timid because people kind of understand it, but they still have to be careful about putting themselves in front of the country because that could backfire,” he said. “They have to be careful that they still look a bit like team players.”
In other cases, candidates have not yet decided, Duhaime said, and may be enticed by party leaders in early-voting states who are eager to attract rising stars to their events.
“It’s very interesting and exciting for candidates and potential candidates to be asked,” he said, with some deciding, “Let’s go experience the National Circus. Let’s be a part of that.”
Besides the potential legal considerations, O’Connell, the Democratic strategist, also noted that many of those expected to run have day jobs they need to balance. While picking fights with Trump certainly puts her in the spotlight, it could have ramifications for voters if the Republican president retaliates, meaning the candidates will need to choose their moments wisely.
“You have to fulfill your obligations to the states where you are located,” she said. “It’s not that you’re playing a game, I think there are some practical considerations.”
“I think we’re going to see people struggle with that,” she added.
She also urged candidates to adopt what she called the “Beyoncé-Taylor Swift strategy,” referring to pop stars boosting the economies of the cities in which they perform.
“What I advise anyone who wants to be president in 2028 is to roll up your sleeves and help,” she said.