After a bruising defeat in 2024, Democrats are facing a full-blown identity crisis — and it’s starting to show.
According to a recent CNN poll, the party’s favorability has plunged to a record low: just 29% of Americans have a positive view of Democrats, while 54% see them unfavorably. The dismal numbers have sparked internal soul-searching and public calls for a reset.
“When you ask people what Republicans stand for, they say, ‘Make America Great Again, cut the size of government, give tax cuts,’” New York Rep. Tom Suozzi told NPR. “And what do Democrats stand for? I think people are kind of scratching their heads a little bit… I don’t know you can build a whole party around [just] choice and LGBT rights.”
Still, it’s not all bad news. While the party may be short on clear messaging, it’s not short on potential leaders. From veterans like Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to rising voices like New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, there’s no shortage of Democrats who could help shape — or shake up — the next chapter.
But with Republicans firmly in control of Washington, reclaiming power won’t be easy. If Democrats want to mount a serious comeback, the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential race will be critical. And while those elections may feel far off, the jockeying has already begun.
Here’s a look at who could be in the mix to lead the party’s next act.
Kamala Harris
One of the most pressing questions in the 2028 Democratic race is whether the former vice president will make another run for the White House. After her defeat by President Donald Trump in the 2024 election, Harris pledged to “stay in the fight,” though she has yet to clarify how she plans to do so. Some have speculated that a California gubernatorial bid could be on her radar; two unnamed sources told Politico that she plans to make her decision by the end of the summer.
Despite the uncertainty, polls indicate that Harris remains a leading contender among Democratic voters. A February SurveyUSA poll of 835 voters found Harris in the lead, with 37 percent supporting her as their preferred presidential candidate.
Pete Buttigieg
Biden administration official (and increasingly regular Fox News guest) Pete Buttigieg has ruled out running for an open Senate seat in Michigan next year, leaving the door open for a potential White House bid in 2028.
If he chooses to run, it wouldn’t be his first presidential campaign — he sought the Democratic nomination in 2020. After gaining an early boost by winning the Iowa Caucus, Buttigieg bowed out to support Joe Biden and later raised his national profile as Biden’s secretary of transportation.
Since then, he has emerged as a rising star within the Democratic Party, earning attention for his sharp criticism of President Trump on issues like tariffs and rising consumer prices. “Today, our country is demonstrably less free, less secure, less democratic — and less prosperous — than it was just 10 weeks ago,” he said in a recent blog post.
Tim Walz
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who ran as Harris’s running mate last year, has addressed the speculation himself, telling The New Yorker that he’d “certainly consider” running for president in 2028 if the circumstances are right, and he has the right “skill set” needed at the time. “I’ll do whatever it takes. I certainly wouldn’t be arrogant enough to think that it needs to be me,” he added.
A moderate Democrat with a strong education and military service background, Walz’s approach seems to resonate with traditional working-class voters and progressive supporters. Though he may no longer be a constant presence on the national stage, Walz has been on the road, engaging with voters in red congressional districts. He’s also campaigned for Wisconsin liberal judicial candidate Susan Crawford ahead of the state Supreme Court race and headlined a Montana state party fundraising event earlier this month.
Cory Booker
New Jersey Senator Cory Booker hasn’t declared a 2028 presidential run — at least not yet. When asked about the possibility, he deflected, saying he’s focused on “today” and his 2026 Senate reelection campaign.
But his recent moves are keeping the speculation alive. Widely regarded as one of the Democratic Party’s most gifted orators, Booker made headlines earlier this year with a record-breaking 25-hour, 5-minute speech on the Senate floor. The marathon protest took aim at both Trump’s sweeping second-term agenda and the controversial actions of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. It wasn’t a campaign speech, but it sure had the makings of one.
Gavin Newsom
California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has long been speculated as a leading contender for the Democratic nomination. As he serves his second term as governor, Newsom is ineligible to run for re-election, opening the door for a potential presidential bid.
As his national profile grows, Newsom has sought to engage a wider audience by launching his podcast, This Is Gavin Newsom, in February. The series, aimed at understanding the MAGA movement and charting a path forward for Democrats after 2024, has drawn both praise and criticism. His choice of ultraconservative guests like Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon, along with controversial comments such as calling it “deeply unfair” for transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports, has sparked backlash within his own party.
Still, conservative radio host Dana Loesch has labeled Newsom a “danger” to Republicans, adding that Democrats need to shift toward the center. “Newsom is how they’re floating it,” she said, explaining that his podcast helps him build relevance beyond his 2026 term limit, using it as a marketing tool to position himself for a White House run.
Gretchen Whitmer
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is frequently floated as a potential 2028 presidential contender — and with a 63% approval rating in a critical swing state, it’s easy to see why.
Unlike some of her Democratic peers, Whitmer has positioned herself as a pragmatic leader open to working with Trump, a stance that some view as an asset in a deeply divided electorate. That posture has helped shape her image as a steady, diplomatic alternative in a crowded Democratic field.
While she didn’t shut the door on a presidential run during a January appearance on The View, Whitmer has since sought to tamp down speculation. In May, she reaffirmed her commitment to Michigan and said she plans to finish her term, which ends in January 2027. Still, with a rising national profile and strategic positioning, whispers of a 2028 run haven’t gone quiet.
Josh Shapiro
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s name continues to surface as Democrats look ahead to 2028. In 2024, he was frequently mentioned as a leading contender for Harris’s vice presidential pick, though she ultimately chose Walz as her running mate.
Shapiro addressed the decision during a recent appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher. “Look, I’ll just say one quick thing on that whole vice president thing,” he told Maher. “I said all along that Kamala Harris had a deeply personal decision to make in that process. In the end, so did I.” But the rest of his interview sounded an awful lot like a stump speech, according to some commentators.
Since the Democrats’ defeat last year, Shapiro has been a vocal critic within the party, pushing back against what he sees as a weak response to Trump. “They’re worried,” Shapiro said of voters during his appearance on Real Time. “They want to see action. There was an opportunity for more action here.”
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
There’s been a lot of talk lately about New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez rising as a key figure in the Democratic Party. While some see a path for her to challenge Chuck Schumer for Democratic leadership in the Senate, others are suggesting she could be a contender for the 2028 presidential race.
“Just a word of warning to the Republicans, to my party: Do not underestimate AOC. She’s young, she’s vibrant, she’s attractive,” former Trump official Monica Crowley told Fox News.
Though the Democratic primary is still a few years away, Ocasio-Cortez has already emerged as one of the top contenders. A CNN poll from March found that 10 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents believe the congresswoman best embodies the party’s values, with Kamala Harris at 9 percent and Gavin Newsom at 2 percent.
That said, she might have a long way to go before she becomes a viable candidate — a recent poll from Morning Consult showed her in third place when respondents were asked about who they would support in 2028.
J.B. Pritzker
With his term concluding in January 2027, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker appears to be laying the groundwork for a potential 2028 presidential bid. Outlets like Politico report that the popular Democrat has been delivering high-profile speeches and raising money — clear signs of someone testing the waters.
It wouldn’t be a shock if he’s eyeing a higher office. Pritzker has emerged as a prominent voice in the Democratic resistance to Trump, once telling reporters: “You come for my people, you come through me.”
Andy Beshear
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear says he’d be open to a presidential run if he thought he could truly bring the country together.
“If you’d asked me a couple years ago if this is something I’d consider, I probably wouldn’t have. But I don’t want to leave a broken country to my kids. And so if I’m somebody that can bring this nation together, hopefully find some common ground, it’s something I’ll consider,” Beshear told local station WDRB.
Beshear gained national attention after winning the governorship in a deep-red state twice and was even floated as a potential running mate for Harris in 2024.
Roy Cooper
Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is definitely someone to keep an eye on for 2028. Even though he’s out of office now, he made a big impact by expanding Medicaid and getting rid of the state’s “bathroom ban” that targeted transgender people.
In his farewell speech last December, he made it clear: “I’m not done.” A lot of Democrats want him to run for Senate in 2026, but plenty also see him as a possible presidential candidate down the road. When asked if he’s thinking about running for Senate or president, he said, “It’s hard for me to believe” that he won’t run for something again.
For now, Cooper has stepped away from politics and into academia. He’s currently a Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where he teaches and leads discussions on public health policy.
Raphael Warnock
Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock is increasingly seen as a potential 2028 presidential contender. His two hard-fought Senate victories in a pivotal battleground state have cemented his status as a rising star in the Democratic Party. A gifted orator and senior pastor at Atlanta’s historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, once led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Warnock brings moral gravitas and a compelling personal story that resonates with both progressive and moderate voters alike.
While he hasn’t signaled any plans to run for president, some Democrats argue he has the charisma, coalition-building ability, and national profile to make a serious bid. He’s also proven he can win in tough environments, something the party may prize in 2028.
Warnock has already announced he’ll seek re-election to the Senate that year — a race that could be both politically pivotal and personally defining. Balancing a Senate campaign with a potential presidential run would be a challenge, but it hasn’t stopped speculation that he may be positioning himself for something bigger.
Ruben Gallego
Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego is fueling speculation about a 2028 presidential run after making high-profile stops in key battleground states. In May, he traveled to Pennsylvania to rally Democrats and outline a path forward after the party’s 2024 losses — a message that appeared to resonate with both progressives and moderates.
Gallego has gained national attention as an emerging leader in the Democratic Party. A former Marine who served in Iraq, he brings a working-class appeal. He has also positioned himself as a powerful voice for Latino voters — a demographic Democrats are eager to shore up. His hard-fought Senate win last November in Arizona, a state that flipped to Trump, only added to his momentum.
Though Gallego told The Washington Post that a presidential run isn’t on his radar “right now,” his growing profile and battleground state credentials have kept his name in the mix for 2028.
Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Emanuel has a lengthy political resume as a U.S. congressman and Chicago mayor, yet he’s rarely mentioned as a top Democratic presidential contender. Still, according to Politico’s Jonathan Martin, it’s no secret that Emanuel has his sights set on the White House.
“Just as striking is to talk to anybody in high-level Democratic politics who knows Emanuel — which is to say most everyone — and hear how matter of fact they are about the inevitability of his candidacy,” Martin wrote.
Since Harris’s 2024 loss, Emanuel has been stepping up as a key voice for the party, even if it means clashing with its more progressive wing. At one point, he was even considered for the role of Democratic National Committee chair, and he’s made a number of media appearances to further cement his presence.
Who’s not running
Wes Moore
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has long been seen as a rising Democratic star, so it raised some eyebrows when he flatly said he’s “not running” for president during an appearance on The View last month.
Still, the buzz hasn’t died down. In May alone, Moore headlined the high-profile Blue Palmetto Dinner in South Carolina — a key early primary state — and gave a commencement speech at Pennsylvania’s Lincoln University, a historically Black college in another critical swing state. With his gubernatorial term ending in 2026, Moore could always seek reelection, but some in the party wonder if his sights are set higher.
