2028 presidential candidates

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

U.S. Representative (NY-14)

Progressive star with a huge small-dollar fundraising base who inherits much of the Bernie Sanders coalition. Advisers reported to be planning a national tour.

Gavin Newsom

Governor of California

Term-limited California governor and front-of-pack Democrat who built a national profile countering the Trump administration. In June 2026 he said he and his wife are under federal investigation, calling it political retaliation for weighing a 2028 bid. In September 2026 he said he would not run if Kamala Harris runs, and says he will decide after the 2026 midterms.

Josh Shapiro

Governor of Pennsylvania

Popular governor of the pivotal swing state of Pennsylvania, seen as a strong general-election profile. Appeared alongside other hopefuls on the early circuit.

Kamala Harris

Former Vice President

The 2024 Democratic nominee retains a national base. She passed on the 2026 California governor race, keeping a 2028 run open, and says she is thinking about it.

Pete Buttigieg

Former U.S. Transportation Secretary

Former Cabinet secretary and 2020 candidate who has become a leading Democratic voice. He has campaigned nationally, led a few early-primary surveys, and is widely expected to run in 2028.

Amy Klobuchar

U.S. Senator (Minnesota); DFL nominee for Governor of Minnesota

A senior Minnesota senator and 2020 presidential candidate who entered the 2026 Minnesota governor's race after Tim Walz bowed out, winning the DFL endorsement - a move that points her toward state office rather than a 2028 White House bid.

Andy Beshear

Governor of Kentucky

A twice-elected Democratic governor of deep-red Kentucky and 2026 chair of the Democratic Governors Association. He has stepped up national travel and openly acknowledges weighing a 2028 run, but says he will not decide until he is done as DGA chair.

Bernie Sanders

U.S. Senator (Vermont)

The progressive Vermont senator and two-time presidential candidate whose movement still shapes the party, though his age makes a third run unlikely.

Chris Murphy

U.S. Senator (Connecticut)

A Connecticut senator who has built a larger national profile on guns, foreign policy and democracy, and is sometimes named as a 2028 dark horse.

Cory Booker

U.S. Senator (New Jersey)

A former 2020 candidate and high-profile New Jersey senator promoting a new book with a national tour who says he is "definitely not ruling out" a 2028 run, even as he seeks Senate re-election in 2026.

Elissa Slotkin

U.S. Senator (Michigan)

A former CIA officer and Michigan senator who has been given high-profile national speaking roles, fueling some 2028 mentions.

Gretchen Whitmer

Governor of Michigan

Popular swing-state governor often listed as a top contender. In May 2026 she said she would not make a 2028 bid, then immediately softened it to 'never say never.'

J.B. Pritzker

Governor of Illinois

Wealthy, combative Illinois governor seeking re-election in 2026 who has signaled he will be deeply involved in the 2028 cycle.

Jared Polis

Governor of Colorado

A wealthy, business-friendly Colorado governor who is term-limited in 2026, leaving him free to consider a national run.

Mark Kelly

U.S. Senator (Arizona)

Former astronaut and swing-state senator with a moderate, national-security-forward brand. Has publicly said a 2028 bid is under consideration.

A two-term New Jersey governor who left office in January 2026, succeeded by fellow Democrat Mikie Sherrill. He has not taken a 2028 run off the table but plays it down ("I wouldn't put a lot of money on that").

A former Chicago mayor, Obama White House chief of staff and U.S. ambassador to Japan, now a CNN commentator and Washington Post columnist. He is among the most active 2028 signalers, saying he is "thinking about" a run and touring the country, but says he will not decide until after the 2026 midterms.

Raphael Warnock

U.S. Senator (Georgia)

A pastor and Georgia senator who has twice won in a key battleground, a profile that keeps him in 2028 conversations.

Ro Khanna

U.S. Representative (California)

A progressive, Sanders-aligned California congressman who has shifted from coy to openly weighing a 2028 bid, teasing a run in spring 2026 and drawing guidance from Biden's former chief of staff Ron Klain. Says a final decision waits until after the 2026 midterms.

Ruben Gallego

U.S. Senator (Arizona)

A Marine veteran who won a Senate seat in battleground Arizona in 2024, giving him a profile some Democrats see as a future national asset.

Wes Moore

Governor of Maryland

Charismatic first-term governor and rising star who is focused on 2026 re-election but has not closed the door on a future national run.

The 46th president stepped aside during the 2024 race and endorsed Kamala Harris. He has given no sign of a 2028 campaign and would be 86 years old on Inauguration Day 2029.

Jon Ossoff

U.S. Senator (Georgia)

A young swing-state senator whose name has climbed in 2028 prediction markets. He says he has 'zero interest' in a 2028 run and is focused on his 2026 Senate re-election in Georgia.

Tim Walz

Governor of Minnesota

The 2024 Democratic vice-presidential nominee and Minnesota governor ended his 2026 reelection bid in January 2026 amid scrutiny over state welfare fraud and said he will never run for elected office again - effectively taking himself out of 2028 contention.

JD Vance

Vice President of the United States

The sitting vice president and presumed Republican frontrunner. He has acknowledged he is considering 2028 and made an early-state trip to Iowa in 2026.

Ron DeSantis

Governor of Florida

The term-limited Florida governor and 2024 candidate has said he is open to another run. His term ends in 2027, freeing him to campaign.

Dan Greaney

Television writer; no political office

A long-shot candidate who formally announced and filed paperwork, running as a self-described Lincoln-and-Roosevelt Republican.

Brian Kemp

Governor of Georgia

Term-limited Georgia governor seen as a leading traditional-conservative option. He passed on a 2026 Senate race, fueling 2028 speculation.

Byron Donalds

U.S. Representative (Florida); Republican nominee for Governor of Florida

A Florida congressman and close Trump ally who won the Republican primary for Florida governor on August 18, 2026 and faces Democrat David Jolly in November. His rising profile keeps his name in occasional 2028 conversations.

Donald Trump Jr.

Businessman and Republican fundraiser

An influential party fundraiser and the president's eldest son, whose name surfaces in 2028 speculation.

Elise Stefanik

U.S. Representative (New York)

A former House Republican Conference chair and prominent Trump ally who ended her bid for New York governor in December 2025 and is not seeking re-election to the House. She is sometimes mentioned among the party's younger national prospects.

Glenn Youngkin

Former Governor of Virginia

A former private-equity executive who served one term as Virginia governor and has long been mentioned as a potential national candidate.

Greg Abbott

Governor of Texas

A long-serving Texas governor with a large war chest who is seeking a record fourth term in 2026. He said in August 2025 that he will run for governor again and dismissed 2028 talk, and in August 2026 his campaign answered "No" when asked about 2028 interest.

Gregory Bovino

Former U.S. Border Patrol commander-at-large

A former U.S. Border Patrol commander who became a viral figure as a public face of the 2025-26 immigration crackdown. In June 2026 a supporter-built 'Bovino2028' website and a self-described exploratory committee drew national headlines; Bovino said a 2028 run is 'on the table' if it advances mass deportations.

Kristi Noem

U.S. Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas; former Homeland Security Secretary

A former South Dakota governor who served as Homeland Security secretary in 2025-2026 and has been U.S. special envoy for the Shield of the Americas since March 2026, with a national profile that keeps her in future-contender lists.

Rand Paul

U.S. Senator (Kentucky)

Libertarian-leaning Kentucky senator and former 2016 candidate who has said another bid is under consideration.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders

Governor of Arkansas

Arkansas governor and former White House press secretary often mentioned as a future national contender, with no formal moves yet.

Ted Cruz

U.S. Senator (Texas)

The 2016 runner-up and Texas senator has said he expects to seek the presidency again and was reported to be weighing a campaign.

Tim Scott

U.S. Senator (South Carolina)

A South Carolina senator and 2024 presidential candidate with a strong fundraising network and an optimistic message.

Tom Cotton

U.S. Senator (Arkansas)

An Army veteran and Arkansas senator known for a hawkish foreign policy, frequently listed among possible future contenders.

Tulsi Gabbard

Former Director of National Intelligence

Former Democrat turned Republican and Trump administration official whose 2026 departure from the DNI role has fueled 2028 talk.

Vivek Ramaswamy

Entrepreneur; Republican nominee for Governor of Ohio

A biotech entrepreneur and 2024 Republican primary candidate who won the May 2026 GOP primary for Ohio governor and now faces Democrat Amy Acton in November. He remains a prominent national voice and a name in 2028 speculation.

Donald Trump

President of the United States

The sitting president cannot appear on the 2028 ballot. Having been elected in 2016 and 2024, he has reached the two-term limit and is constitutionally ineligible.

Josh Hawley

U.S. Senator (Missouri)

A populist, economic-nationalist Missouri senator long mentioned for the Trump-aligned lane. In September 2026 he ended speculation about a 2028 bid, telling the Washington Examiner he has no intention of seeking the Republican nomination.

Marco Rubio

U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Adviser

Former 2016 candidate now serving as Secretary of State, long seen as the main alternative to Vance. On September 9, 2026 he said he has "no plans at this time" to run in 2028 and is focused on his job; Wikipedia now lists him among Republicans who declined to run. He did not rule out a future campaign outright.

Nikki Haley

Former U.N. Ambassador

A former South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador who was the last major rival standing in the 2024 Republican primary. Asked on CNN's State of the Union in April 2026 whether she would run in 2028, she said: "I will not."

Pete Hegseth

U.S. Secretary of Defense

Defense secretary and former TV host occasionally floated in 2028 chatter. In August 2026 he called an NBC report that he had discussed a presidential run "100% false," and a Pentagon spokesman said he "is not running for president."