2028 presidential election

Andy Beshear

Andy Beshear has been the governor of Kentucky since 2019.

Beshear did not rule out a presidential run during an interview with Pamela Brown on the February 19, 2026, episode of CNN’s The Situation Room:

Brown: Where is your heart right now as it stands today running for president?

Beshear: Well, when I walked off the stage in my reelect in 2023, I looked at my wife and I said: “That’s the last race we will ever run.” I don’t know that that’s true as we’re here today. I will not leave a broken country to my kids or to anyone else’s. They deserve the same stability of the United States that we had growing up. They deserve a country that’s leader of the free world and not the bully on the playground. [1]

New books are frequently a sign of an upcoming campaign. Beshear’s book Go and Do Likewise: How We Heal a Broken Country was published in September 2026.

Cory Booker

Cory Booker has been a senator for New Jersey since 2013. He ran for president in 2020.

Booker did not rule out a presidential run during an interview with Kristen Welker on the March 29, 2026, episode of NBC’s Meet the Press.

Welker: Sounds like you’re saying [your wife] would be open to you running for president. So you’re not ruling it out, senator?

Booker: I am definitely not ruling it out. I’m running for reelection. I hope New Jersey will support me for another six years. [26]

New books are frequently a sign of an upcoming campaign. Booker’s book Stand was published in March 2026.

Pete Buttigieg

Pete Buttigieg was most recently the U.S. secretary of transportation from 2021 to 2025. He ran for president in 2020.

Buttigieg did not rule out a presidential run during an interview with Steven Bartlett on the August 3, 2026, episode of the podcast The Diary of a CEO.

Bartlett: Are you going to run to be president in 2028?

Buttigieg: I don’t know. I would have to…[start by] looking at everything that the office seems like it needs, not just generally, but in that moment, and then looking at what I bring to the table and asking myself, “Okay, am I bringing something that’s different enough from what others are bringing, and that fits, like, that moment?” Like, that’s what led me to run for mayor, which is a pretty unlikely move in South Bend, Indiana, when I was in my 20s. It’s what led me to run for president when I did almost eight years ago now.…I think I’m like more inclined [to run for president] than not. [13]

Rahm Emanuel

Rahm Emanuel was most recently the U.S. ambassador to Japan from 2021 to 2025.

Emanuel did not rule out a presidential run during an interview with Jonathan Martin for a July 28, 2026, Politico article.

Martin: So you are [running for president]?

Emanuel: I haven’t decided yet.

Martin: But you wouldn’t do all this [traveling the country to speak with everyday people] if you didn’t want to?

Emanuel: [My wife] and I will make a decision. I’m thinking really hard about it. About a year ago, I wasn’t thinking about it when I got off the plane from Japan. People talked to me. And as I go around the country, the real question is: Do you have what ails America?

Martin: When will you decide?

Emanuel: I’ll make a decision basically right after the midterms, one way or another. It’s not that hard from there, but that’s the time frame. You don’t take these decisions lightly. When I ran for Congress, I didn’t take it. When I ran for mayor, when I took the job as President Obama’s chief of staff. The one thing you also know, John, is every time my name has been on the ballot, I have won. And every time I’ve worked on a national race, whether it’s helping make Nancy Pelosi speaker [of the House], or Bill Clinton and Barack Obama president, I have won. And it’s time the Democrats win. [14]

Ruben Gallego

Ruben Gallego has been a U.S. senator for Arizona since 2025.

Gallego did not rule out a presidential run during an interview with Bruce St. James and Larry Gaydos for a July 24, 2026, episode of the radio show Outspoken with Bruce & Gaydos. Gallego said,

We’re thinking about it, right? My first hurdle is, you know, I have three children, right? And I do have a challenge of trying to figure out how to balance my time with them and my job and potentially running for office. [15]

Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris was the U.S. vice president from 2021 to 2025. She ran for president in 2020 and 2024.

Harris did not rule out a presidential run during an interview with Al Sharpton on April 10, 2026, at the National Action Network convention.

Sharpton: So, are you gonna run again in [20]28?

Harris: Listen, I might. I might. I’m thinking about it. I’m thinking about it.…I know what the job is, and I know what it requires.…And I am thinking about it in the context of then, you know, is who and where and how can the best job be done for the American people. That’s how I’m thinking about it. I’ll keep you posted. [16]

New books are frequently a sign of an upcoming campaign. Harris’s book 107 Days was published in September 2025.

Mark Kelly

Mark Kelly has been a U.S. senator for Arizona since 2020.

Kelly did not rule out a presidential run during a January 2026 interview with CNN. Kelly said:

I still think it needs to be the right person for the moment, and we don’t know what that moment is yet. [17]

Editors’ Note: CNN noted that Kelly said that he “is starting to think seriously about running for president” but did not directly quote the senator saying as much.

Ro Khanna

Ro Khanna has been a U.S. representative for California since 2017.

Khanna did not rule out a presidential run during a March 1, 2026, interview with Adam Sexton on an ABC-affiliated New Hampshire TV station.

Well, we’ll look at that after the midterm.…I have an economic vision for this country, a new economic patriotism, how we’re going to create good jobs everywhere. I represent Silicon Valley. I see the AI revolution, and I don’t want it to just work for tech billionaires. I want it to work for all of us, and I want us out of these wars and [our] focus [moved to] here at home. So, at the very least, I’m going to be offering my vision, my ideas, to be part of the conversation. Whether I’m a candidate or not, that I’ll decide after the midterm. [18]

Mitch Landrieu

Mitch Landrieu was the mayor of New Orleans from 2010 to 2018.

Landrieu did not rule out a presidential run when asked by CNN for an April 19, 2026, article:

Whether I’m the president or one of a hundred of my best friends are president, I am at a point in my life where I really feel like the future of the country is at stake.…And so, people say, “What, are you going to run for president?” Maybe. [19]

Don Lemon

Don Lemon was a CNN news host from 2014 to 2023.

Lemon did not rule out a presidential run during a May 6, 2026, interview with Kara Swisher at the Sir Harry Evans Investigative Journalism Summit.

Swisher: Would you ever consider running for office?

Lemon: Yeah, I would. I would.

Swisher: But you’re going to go right to…president? Well, why not?

Lemon: Why not? I mean, I’m a man of certain age. I’ve been around long enough. You know, I’ve worked hard. [20]

Gavin Newsom

Gavin Newsom has been the governor of California since 2019.

Newsom did not rule out a presidential run during the July 11, 2026, opening for a new Nevada Democrats field office in Las Vegas, which was covered by C-SPAN.

Off-camera reporter: Are you considering running for president?

Newsom: Yeah, I haven’t…I made the mistake of being very transparent and honest about six months ago when someone said, “Well, have you ever thought about it?” And I said, “Well, yes.” And, as a consequence of being a little more honest than most about [planning to run for president], then there’s just more heightened speculation. But, that’s fate that will determine that. I mean that.…I really believe it’s fate. You meet the moment. You represent something where you can uniquely and distinctively make the case that your voice matters in a competitive field. [21]

Newsom did, however, rule out a presidential run in the event that former Vice Pres. Kamala Harris declares candidacy during a September 2026 interview with Jake Tapper for CNN:

Newsom: I wouldn’t run if [Kamala Harris] ran.

Tapper: If she runs, you will not?

Newsom: Of course not. Why would I? I wouldn’t do that to her.…I wouldn’t do that to you. I wouldn’t waste everyone’s time. Who needs that? [30]

New books are frequently a sign of an upcoming campaign. Newsom’s book Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery was published in February 2026.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been a U.S. representative for New York since 2019.

Ocasio-Cortez did not rule out a presidential run during an interview with Jonathan Karl on the August 9, 2026, episode of ABC’s This Week.

Karl: I’m sure you saw the poll in New Hampshire that had you as the leading candidate, leading choice for Democrats. First, are you going to run for president?

Ocasio-Cortez: I mean, I’m focused on winning the midterms. I’m running for Congress right now.

Karl: But, I mean, do you see this as something…I know you said you’re open to it.…Is it a realistic possibility for you?

Ocasio-Cortez: I haven’t—well, I haven’t ruled out the possibility. And I’m very humbled to the tremendous amount of support out there. I think that we have a responsibility to remain focused on the midterms and not on our individual aspirations or plans. [22]

J.B. Pritzker

J.B. Pritzker has been the governor of Illinois since 2019.

Pritzker did not rule out a presidential run during an interview with Kristen Welker for the August 10, 2025, episode of Meet the Press.

Welker: Do you rule out a run for president in 2028?

Pritzker: I’m focused on running for reelection as governor of the state of Illinois, and everything that I do really is focused on lifting up the people of my state.

Welker: But you don’t rule it out, Governor? Yes or no?

Pritzker: I can’t rule anything out, but what I can rule in is that no matter what decisions I make, and I mean in particular about what I do here in the state of Illinois is about the people of Illinois. Indeed, any future decisions of mine will always be guided by that. [25]

Elissa Slotkin

Elissa Slotkin has been a U.S. senator for Michigan since 2025.

Slotkin did not rule out a presidential run when asked by the Des Moines Register for an April 7, 2026, article.

I’m not so arrogant as to think it has to be me.…Midterms is what I’m focused on right now, but if it comes to the point afterwards that I think there’s not anyone else who’s on the right path, I guess I wouldn’t say no forever. [23]

Chris Van Hollen

Chris Van Hollen has been a U.S. senator for Maryland since 2017.

Van Hollen did not rule out a presidential run during an interview with Igor Bobic for a June 17, 2026, episode of The Washington Sun Cast.

I would say [I am] kind of kicking the tires [on a possible presidential run] a little bit. [28]

Gretchen Whitmer

Gretchen Whitmer has been the governor of Michigan since 2019.

Whitmer did not rule out a presidential run when asked by Tricia A. Keith after her May 28, 2026, keynote speech at the Mackinac Policy Conference.

I never thought I would run for governor, so I guess I should know better to never say never, but I don’t want distractions as I wrap up my eight years as governor.…We still have really important things to do, and I find all this talk about my future such a distraction from what I want to get done today. [24]

Chris Murphy

Chris Murphy has been a senator from Connecticut since 2013. NBC and The New York Times have speculated about a 2028 Murphy campaign.

New books are frequently a sign of an upcoming campaign. Murphy’s book Crisis of the Common Good: The Fight for Meaning and Connection in a Broken America was published in May 2026.

Jon Ossoff

Jon Ossoff has been a senator from Georgia since 2021.

Ossoff has said that he has “zero interest in running for president in 2028.” That statement has not stopped media hypotheses: NBC, The New York Times, and Politico have speculated about a 2028 Ossoff campaign. [26]

Josh Shapiro

Josh Shapiro has been the governor of Pennsylvania since 2023. The New York Times and MS Now have speculated about a 2028 Shapiro campaign.

New books are frequently a sign of an upcoming campaign. Shapiro’s book Where We Keep the Light: Stories from a Life of Service was published in January 2026.

Raphael Warnock

Raphael Warnock has been a senator from Georgia since 2021. Katie Couric Media, The New York Times, and Politico have speculated about a 2028 Warnock campaign.

New books are frequently a sign of an upcoming campaign. Warnock’s book The Crooked Places Made Straight: Reflections on the Moral Meaning of America was published in June 2026.

Dan Greaney

Dan Greaney is a comedy television writer and producer, best known for episodes of The Simpsons and The Office. Greaney announced his candidacy on May 26, 2026, in an Instagram video.

Gregory Bovino

Gregory Bovino was the commander at large of the U.S. Border Patrol (an arm of Customs and Border Protection) from October 2025 until January 2026.

In June 2026 an exploratory committee for Bovino launched the Bovino for President website. However, on June 9, 2026, Bovino posted to X: “To clarify, I am not running at this time…Let’s now focus on mass deportations!” [5] [6]

Ted Cruz

Ted Cruz has been a U.S. senator for Texas since 2013. He ran for president in 2016.

Cruz did not rule out a presidential run during an interview with Texas Lieut. Gov. Dan Patrick on the August 26, 2026, episode of the podcast Lt. Dan:

Cruz: Listen, it’s no secret that I want to be president. I ran for president [in 2016]. I came close.

Patrick: Are you going to run again?

Cruz: Time will tell. [2]

When asked about this interaction by Kristen Welker during the August 30, 2026, episode of Meet the Press, Cruz responded:

You know, the Book of Ecclesiastes tells us there’s a time for every season. And this is not that season right now. This is the season of the [2026] midterms. And I’ll tell you, I am spending my time on the road campaigning for candidates all over the country. [3]

New books are frequently a sign of an upcoming campaign. Cruz’s book Going Further: The Incomparable Clarence Thomas was published in August 2026.

Ron DeSantis

Ron DeSantis has been the governor of Florida since 2019. He ran for president in 2024.

DeSantis did not rule out a presidential run during an interview with Sean Hannity on the March 23, 2026, episode of the podcast Hang Out with Sean Hannity:

Hannity: Will you run for president again?

DeSantis: We’ll see.…I think that, you know, in [20]24…in Iowa, the people that voted for [Donald] Trump, if he wasn’t running, I would have gotten like 90 percent of those people. They were conservative voters, right? They didn’t want the nonconservative—you know, they wanted me. And so, but the timing didn’t work out, obviously, for that. So, you just got to see what happens. [7]

Brian Kemp

Brian Kemp has been the governor of Georgia since 2019.

Kemp did not rule out a presidential run during an April 2026 interview with Jonathan Martin for Politico:

Martin: Wouldn’t that [Kemp’s record as governor of Georgia] be an obvious way, a platform, to then run for the next level [the presidency]?

Kemp: Well, I’ll let you and other people speculate.

Martin: Are you open to it?

Kemp: I am focused on 2026. [31]

John Kennedy

John Kennedy has been a U.S. senator for Louisiana since 2017.

Kennedy did not rule out a presidential run during an interview with Katie Pavlich for the June 17, 2026, episode of Katie Pavlich Tonight. Kennedy said:

A lot of people enter the field, and I think they are goobers…I’ve had some people talk to me about it. Why not me? That’s kind of how I look at it. But I’m not saying I will do it. [8]

Rand Paul

Rand Paul has been a U.S. senator for Kentucky since 2011. He ran for president in 2016.

Paul did not rule out a presidential run in an interview with Robert Costa on the March 29, 2026, episode of CBS News Sunday Morning:

Costa: There was recently a headline in the Washington Examiner, “Rand Paul Sounds Like He’s Running for President.”

Paul: Yeah, I don’t know yet. So maybe they know something I don’t know. We’re thinking about it. And I would say [there is a] 50–50 [chance of running]. We’ll make a decision after the [2026 midterm] election. [9]

Marco Rubio

Marco Rubio has been the secretary of state since 2025. He ran for president in 2016.

President Trump has floated the idea of a Vance-Rubio Republican presidential ticket. In a 2025 Vanity Fair interview, Rubio said:

If JD Vance runs for president, he’s going to be our [Republican] nominee, and I’ll be one of the first people to support him. [10]

Rubio did not rule out a presidential run during a September 8, 2026, official visit to Colombia. He said:

I don’t know what the future holds, but I have no plans at this time…I’m not a candidate for anything right now. And I’m 100 percent focused on my job, and I have to be because I have two jobs [secretary of state and national security adviser]. [32]

Sarah Huckabee Sanders

Sarah Huckabee Sanders has been the governor of Arkansas since 2023.

Sanders did not rule out a presidential run in an interview with Jonathan Martin for the March 10, 2026, episode of On the Road With Jonathan Martin.

In any job, especially one like I have right now in public service, your goal—your focus—has to be to do a really good job in the role that you have and see what happens from there. So my focus is Arkansas and helping us move to the top and take it from there. [12]

New books are frequently a sign of an upcoming campaign. Sanders’s book Unapologetic: Clarity and Conviction in a World Gone Crazy will be published in November 2026.

JD Vance

JD Vance has been the U.S. vice president since 2025.

Pres. Donald Trump has floated the idea of a Vance-Rubio Republican presidential ticket. Vice President Vance did not rule out a presidential run in an interview with Sean Hannity on the November 13, 2025, episode of Hannity. He said:

We’re going to do everything that we can to win the [2026] midterms. And then after that, I’m going to sit down with the president of the United States and talk to him about it. [10] [11]

New books are frequently a sign of an upcoming campaign. Vance’s book Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith was published in June 2026.

Josh Hawley

Josh Hawley has been a U.S. senator for Missouri since 2019.

Hawley has said, “No, I have no intention of [running for president in 2028], period.” That statement has not stopped media hypotheses: The American Conservative, the Washington Examiner, and The Washington Post have speculated about a 2028 Hawley campaign. [29]