The 2028 Presidential Primary Race Begins After Midterm Wave
“America, tonight is the start of our comeback, baby.” New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker declared on Tuesday night, capturing the sudden momentum rushing through the Democratic field as the final midterm votes were still being tallied.
The presidential primary season for 2028 has officially kicked off just over a year before the first primary votes are cast. The political environment shifted dramatically overnight, leaving Democrats energized by a commanding performance across the South and Midwest, while Republicans scrambled to process major losses that left Vice President JD Vance and other potential nominees in a much more vulnerable position.
Democratic Prospects Position Themselves for Primary Race
Democratic prospects wasted little time positioning themselves for what is expected to be a wide-open primary race. Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear have already held preliminary conversations with potential presidential campaign staff.
Former vice president and 2024 Democratic nominee Kamala Harris told The Associated Press that she was elated by the party’s success, particularly across the South. I believe I have a responsibility to contribute to the direction of the party, in particular around lifting up voices and issues that I have an experience with,
Harris said. Whether I’m in office or not, that’s the role I feel compelled to play.
Meanwhile, a deep bench of high-profile governors strengthened their political brands on Tuesday. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker both secured decisive reelection victories. California Gov. Gavin Newsom boosted Democratic candidates nationwide and led Proposition 50, California’s response to the Texas Republican mid-decade gerrymander, helping Democrats capture the House majority. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro delivered a commanding win in a crucial swing state while helping his party flip four congressional seats and take control of the state legislature.
Asked by CBS anchor Gayle King if he was officially entering the 2028 race, Shapiro demurred. I want to answer all your other questions, Gayle,
Shapiro laughed, before turning the focus back to governance. People want fundamental change, real reform. More importantly, they want their leaders to get stuff done, they want real results.
Rahm Emanuel, who spent the past year laying groundwork for a potential run, offered a similar caution about timing. Don’t worry about the next election,
he said. There’s a time and a season. And right now is the governing time.
Republicans Face Reckoning After Election Results
On the Republican side, the election results triggered an immediate reckoning. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich wrote on X that the scale of the defeat strips away the inevitability that would have accompanied a major administration victory. If the administration had won a big victory, Vice President JD Vance would have had an enormous argument to be the inevitable nominee,
Gingrich wrote. Now… a good bit of the luster has come off the bloom.
Vice President Vance offered a blunt assessment of the results on social media. The reason we lost is the war,
Vance wrote. If you’d like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that’s at least honest.
Outgoing Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis described the losses as close to an extinction-level event for Republicans in many parts of the country,
pointing to Florida’s results as an exception. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie are also weighing potential White House bids as the opposition party recalibrates for 2028.
