After their tough losses in 2024, Democrats are scrambling to find a new leader — and it’s starting to take a toll on their image.
A recent CNN poll shows the party’s favorability has hit a record low, with 54 percent of Americans holding unfavorable views of Democrats. Only 29 percent have a positive view, and 16 percent aren’t sure. This has prompted some Democratic representatives in Trump-won districts, such as New York Rep. Tom Suozzi, to call for a rebrand.
“When you ask people, what do the Republicans stand for? They say, ‘Well, Make America Great Again, they want to cut the size of government, they want to give tax cuts,'” Suozzi told NPR. “And what do the Democrats stand for? I think people are kind of scratching their heads a little bit. They believe in choice and LGBT rights — which, I believe in those things too — but I don’t know you can build a whole party around that.”
But it’s not all doom and gloom: The left does have a bench of contenders who could step up. Whether that’s someone who takes another crack at the top of the ticket (like former Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz) or a fresh and insurgent face (like New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez), plenty of well-known figures have a shot at being in the mix.
Still, with Republicans firmly in control of the federal government, reshaping the party’s identity — and regaining power — won’t be easy. If Democrats hope to make a comeback, they’ll need to notch big wins in the 2026 midterms and, ultimately, the 2028 presidential race. Yes, we’re only *checks notes* two months into the Trump administration, but in Washington, it’s never too early to look ahead. So, let’s take a deeper dive at who might be on tap to help the Democratic Party reclaim the White House in 2028.
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.
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
Like Buttigieg, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declined the chance to run for Senate in her home state. With her second and final term as governor underway, speculation is growing about whether she’ll pursue higher office.
Whitmer recently told crowds in Arizona that women should top the 2028 Democratic ticket, according to the Arizona Daily Star, and when asked directly about a potential run during a January appearance on The View, she didn’t rule it out.
Whitmer has built a reputation for working with Republicans, particularly in her home state, where the party controls the House. She’s also sought common ground with conservatives on a national level. Despite clashing with President Trump on issues like abortion and the Covid-19 pandemic, she met with him at the White House in March to discuss jobs and tariffs. “I’ll always work as hard as I can with anyone for the state of Michigan and its people,” Whitmer said in a statement following the meeting.
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.
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.
Other potential Democratic contenders
Who else might be in the mix? A few other names being floated to run for the Democratic ticket include Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, former Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, and Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy.
