撼动民主党2028年竞选格局的新星与总统候选人The New Stars and Presidential Hopefuls Shaking Up Democrats’ 2028 Field

Democrats have emerged from a resounding midterm victory with a deep bench and rising stars who have reinvigorated the party. But as they pivot to a 2028 presidential primary contest already informally under way, things could get messier.

Fresh faces helped Democrats swing deep-red states ahead of a primary that is expected to be among the most wide open in a generation for Democrats, with some candidates expected to announce their bids in the coming months.

With a sprawling field expected, the nomination race threatens to expose divisions unsettling Democrats: establishment vs. outsider, moderate vs. progressive, pro-Israel vs. Israel skeptics and youth vs. experience. And the party’s sweeping midterm success will allow for multiple interpretations of how it should move forward on politics and policy.

For now, potential candidates are networking with donors and potential supporters while hitting the conference circuit. There were two confabs in Washington this past week and an additional conference will be held in Denver next week. Here’s a look at some of the party’s stars and presidential hopefuls: Democrats have been trying to win elections in Texas for decades. James Talarico and Gina Hinojosa finally did, becoming the state’s next senator and governor, respectively. Their sizable victories shocked the political establishment, immediately elevating them onto the national stage. Talarico’s religious messaging and viral social-media moments captivated voters nationwide.

In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed is poised to become the nation’s first Muslim senator. His victory was a major boost for the party’s progressive wing, which can now argue far-left candidates can win even in presidential battlegrounds. Given his following among progressives, El-Sayed could be a key endorsement in the 2028 race.

Rob Sand’s 11-percentage-point victory to become Iowa’s next governor—in a state President Trump won by 13 points in 2024—has given Democrats a model for how to potentially win Midwestern territory their party had previously mostly written off.

Sen. Jon Ossoff’s massive re-election victory this week—he won by 18 points in battleground Georgia—has spurred even more speculation about a presidential bid in 2028. Ossoff’s Sunday night rallies and viral short-form videos drove fundraising and attention—recall his reference to White House aide Natalie Harp. The senator has said he has “zero interest” in a presidential campaign. But if he changes his mind, he would be formidable.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris still leads early 2028 polling and her decision about a third presidential campaign—after her abbreviated 2024 race against Trump—will be closely watched. Most Democrats, however, won’t base their decisions on whether she runs or not. Harris campaigned in battleground states for a trio of incoming Black governors and she was also a key surrogate for Senate candidates El-Sayed in Michigan and Scott Colom in Mississippi, a sign that she remains a formidable figure in the party.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a 2020 presidential candidate, was among the most in-demand surrogates in 2026 across the ideological spectrum, traveling to 38 states and campaigning for 102 candidates (so far, 90 have won). Buttigieg said in an interview that his midterm work was focused on “expanding the map and competing in more conservative places—it’s often about generational change—new people stepping up to make a difference.”Early polling has shown Buttigieg well-positioned in New Hampshire, slated to be the third state on the Democratic calendar.

While he hasn’t run for president before, Rahm Emanuel could never be described as an outsider. The former Chicago mayor has also been a member of Congress, White House chief of staff and ambassador to Japan. Emanuel, who traveled to 20 states in the past 14 months, is set to deliver a major domestic policy speech Nov. 16 at Carnegie Mellon University, the latest in his effort to lead the party’s so-called ideas primary.

Also keep an eye on former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, an adviser in Joe Biden’s White House with strong ties to Black voters in the South.

If he runs for president, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker won’t have to aggressively court big-donor money. The billionaire, an heir to the Hyatt hotel fortune, won a third term on Tuesday and has invested hundreds of millions into his own campaigns. He used the midterms to make additional friends as a major party donor, giving Democrats and allied causes more than $38 million during the two-year election cycle, according to a person familiar with his giving. Pritzker rolled out a 75-page policy proposal the day after the election making suggestions to Congress.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who along with Pritzker has been among the most combative Democratic governors confronting Trump, gained affection from his party’s base for his efforts to redraw congressional districts in his state after the GOP’s redistricting push in Texas. Newsom made a high-profile trip to New Hampshire in October and has sought to master the media game through an active social-media presence and a podcast.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear spent much of 2026 traveling the nation to boost Democratic candidates and raise money as chairman of the Democratic Governors Association. Beshear has shown an ability to win in Trump country and when his DGA chairmanship ends next month, he will be able to point back to a hugely successful election cycle where Democrats flipped at least five governorships and will start 2027 with 29 or 30, including in all seven 2024 presidential battleground states.

“It has to be someone that appeals not just to Democrats, but to independents and some Republicans, too,” Beshear said in an interview, describing the attributes he wants of the next Democratic nominee. “It needs to be a practical problem-solver and that’s why I’ve always said I think it ought to be a Democratic governor. That’s whether it’s me—and I haven’t made any decision—or someone else.”

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s blowout re-election victory kept his focus intensely on his home state during the midterm campaign, but is expected to soon start exploring more beyond the commonwealth. He is one of the more moderate Democrats in the potential field and can point to helping flip four Pennsylvania congressional seats from red to blue and securing a trifecta—control of the governorship and both of the state’s legislative chambers—for the first time since 1992.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore drove up a big margin in his re-election victory, pointing to a budget surplus and a drop in violent crime on his watch. He has clashed with Trump over federal funding but has remained coy on whether he would run for president. As chairman of the National Governors Association, Moore has a ready-made perch allowing him to pursue a national agenda.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) could be the biggest wild card in 2027. A progressive star and grassroots fundraising powerhouse, Ocasio-Cortez can generate attention like few others in the party (recall her social-media posts about freezing her eggs). Her campaign stops in upstate New York (in a Buffalo Bills hoodie, no less), stirred speculation she may challenge Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, who faces re-election in 2028.

But her rallies around the country made clear why she is viewed as the heir to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders among the party’s left. Her decision will alter the race.

In the Senate, several lawmakers are considering 2028 bids and look for them to make the most of high-profile hearings and investigations into the Trump administration.

Ossoff’s Georgia colleague, Sen. Raphael Warnock, campaigned in early primary states like South Carolina, Nevada and New Hampshire, and across the South, and as the senior pastor of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, he has a built-in network in Black churches unmatched in Democratic politics.

Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona campaigned in 23 states for Democrats during the midterm election cycle, his aides said, while helping raise more than $15 million for efforts to win back the majority. His military service and time as an astronaut—along with his advocacy work on gun safety alongside his wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords, who survived a 2011 assassination attempt and mass shooting—would give him a unique role in any campaign.

His Arizona colleague, Sen. Ruben Gallego, rolled out a detailed economic agenda in October, and offers a compelling story of military service and childhood poverty. “I still have the math problem—which is, three kids, only one dad—and I have to figure that out first,” Gallego said this week.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan helped El-Sayed’s Senate bid and has argued the party faces a choice not among “moderate vs. progressive” but “fight vs. flight,” highlighting the need to challenge Trump and protect democratic institutions and middle-class economics. As a woman with a national security background, she could stand out in a field dominated by men.

Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, a 2020 presidential candidate who just won re-election, announced two return trips to South Carolina in November, a strong indicator that he may mount another presidential campaign. Rep. Ro Khanna (D., Calif.), a leading House progressive with roots in battleground Pennsylvania, already has a draft presidential committee—called “Run Ro”—and could benefit if Ocasio-Cortez chooses a Senate campaign over a presidential one. And Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D., Md.), could also be in the mix in the progressive lane, if AOC doesn’t run.