Are they running for president in 2028?

As of mid-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 mid-2026 primary polling and prediction-market odds are Gavin Newsom (Governor of California), Kamala Harris (former Vice President), Pete Buttigieg (former Transportation Secretary), and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (U.S. Representative, NY-14). 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 mid-2026 Republican primary poll by a wide margin, typically polling between 35% and 42% among likely GOP primary voters. The next tier includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Governor Ron DeSantis (Florida), who place second and third respectively across most surveys. 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.