Are they running for president in 2028?

As of October 2026, no major candidate has formally declared a 2028 presidential campaign or filed with the Federal Election Commission. Filing deadlines for most primary states do not open until late 2027. The candidates listed as 'likely' have taken concrete steps -- early-state visits, national organizing, public signals -- that point strongly toward a run, but none is formally in the race yet.

The leading Democratic contenders based on 2026 primary polling and prediction-market odds are Kamala Harris (former Vice President), who has led most national primary polls; Gavin Newsom (Governor of California), usually second in those polls; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (U.S. Representative, NY-14), the leading Democrat in prediction markets; and Pete Buttigieg (former Transportation Secretary). Josh Shapiro (Governor of Pennsylvania) and Gretchen Whitmer (Governor of Michigan) are also widely mentioned. See /parties/democratic for the full Democratic field.

Vice President JD Vance leads every 2026 Republican primary poll by a wide margin, typically polling between about 30% and 47%. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has usually placed second, though he said in September 2026 he has no plans to run; Donald Trump Jr. (second at 24% in the late-September Harvard-Harris poll) and Governor Ron DeSantis (Florida) round out the next tier. See /parties/republican for the full Republican field.

No. The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution bars anyone who has been elected president twice from being elected again. Trump was elected in 2016 and again in 2024, making him constitutionally ineligible for a third term. For the full analysis, see /can-trump-run-2028.

'Is X running?' pages on this site answer the question of current status: what public signals has this person given, and how does the tracker classify them today (likely, possible, or said no)? 'Will X run?' pages at /will-they-run-2028 provide deeper structural analysis: what does the path to the nomination look like for this candidate, what obstacles exist, and what would have to happen for them to launch? Both are updated as new verified signals emerge.