2028 United States presidential election

Republican

Democratic | | | | Republican | Democratic | | | | | | | | | Republican | Democratic | | | | | | 2028 electoral map, based on the results of the 2020 census | | | | | | | Incumbent President Donald Trump Republican | Incumbent President Donald Trump Republican | | | | | | Incumbent President Donald Trump Republican | | | | | |

Presidential elections are scheduled to be held in the United States on November 7, 2028, to elect the president and vice president for a term of four years. In the 2024 elections, then-former president Donald Trump won a non-consecutive second term. The Republican Party retained its majority in the House of Representatives and gained control of the Senate. Trump is ineligible for a third term, as the term limits imposed by the Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibit presidents from being elected more than twice. This will be the first presidential election since 2012 where Trump will not be the Republican nominee.

The incumbent president Donald Trump. His second term will expire at noon on January 20, 2029.

The Republican Party returned to power in the United States in January 2025 with a government trifecta—controlling the Senate, House of Representatives, and the presidency—following the 2024 elections. Donald Trump, who was elected president in 2016 before losing a re-election bid in 2020 to Joe Biden, defeated Vice President Kamala Harris, who began her campaign following Biden's withdrawal from his re-election bid. Trump's victory was accredited to a post-pandemic surge in inflation, and a migrant crisis at the U.S.–Mexico border, amidst the global anti-incumbent backlash. In March 2024, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Trump v. Anderson that Trump could seek office after challenges to his ballot eligibility were raised by several state attorneys general.

The election also saw JD Vance, a U.S. senator from Ohio, elected vice president with Trump. In addition, Republicans secured control of the Senate, flipping four seats and earning a three-seat majority, while also retaining a House majority, though the party's majority narrowed to three seats after losing two seats.

The president and vice president of the United States are elected through the Electoral College, determined by the number of senators and representatives with an additional three representatives for Washington, D.C. A majority of 270 votes is needed to win the election. Forty-eight states use a winner-take-all system, in which states award all of their electors to the winner of the popular vote. In Maine and Nebraska, two votes are allocated to the winner of the popular vote, while each of the individual congressional districts have one vote. Electoral votes are certified by state electors in December and by Congress on January 6. Presidential candidates are selected in a presidential primary, conducted through primary elections run by state governments or caucuses run by state parties which bind convention delegates to candidates. A brokered convention occurs when a candidate does not receive a majority of votes on the first round of voting, or when a candidate withdraws.

Election Day in the United States is held on the first Tuesday that falls after the first Monday in November. The 2028 presidential election will occur on November 7, 2028.

The United States Constitution limits occupancy of the presidency to individuals who are at least thirty-five, who have been a resident in the United States for at least fourteen years, and who are a natural-born citizen. Section three of the Fourteenth Amendment prevents current and former federal, state, and military officials from holding office—including the presidency—if they have "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" against the United States. A convicted felon may serve as president. Incumbent president Trump, along with former presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, are ineligible to be elected to a third term, as the Twenty-second Amendment prohibits any person from being elected president more than twice.

Trump meeting Democratic congressional leaders in September 2025, with Trump 2028 hats displayed

Since beginning his second term in January 2025, Trump has floated the possibility of seeking a third term. On October 27, 2025, when asked about a third term by a reporter on Air Force One, Trump said that he would "love to do it". Trump did rule out a run for vice president, stating that it "wouldn't be right". A hypothetical third term would give Trump an additional four more years of presidency after 2028, which would last through the 2032 United States presidential election which will be held on November 2, 2032; however, the possibility of a third term is unconstitutional under the Twenty-second Amendment, barring all former and current presidents from seeking more than two terms in office. If Trump intends to have the amendment repealed, he would have to either require approval from two-thirds of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, or he would need a constitutional convention called by two-thirds of state legislatures, a process viewed by experts as extremely unlikely.

This map shows how partisan states are by the Cook Partisan Voting Index. Swing states are the states in lighter colors.

Most U.S. states are usually not highly competitive in presidential elections, often voting consistently for the same party due to longstanding demographic and ideological differences. In the Electoral College, this results in major-party candidates primarily focusing their campaigns on swing states, which can swing between parties from election to election. These states are critical for a presidential candidate's path to victory. For 2028, the expected swing states likely include the Rust Belt states of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan, and the Sun Belt states of Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and North Carolina, all of which narrowly voted for Trump in 2024. Other possible swing states include traditional Democratic strongholds that shifted toward Trump and were only narrowly won by Harris in 2024: New Jersey and Minnesota; though 2025 polls show a reversal of pro-Trump trends.

States formerly considered swing states, such as Florida, Iowa, and Ohio, voted for Trump in all three of his previous election bids, as well as for Republican candidates in other state and federal elections, with increasing margins in each election and are now seen as solidly red states. Former red or swing states that, since 2008, have consistently voted Democratic include Colorado, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Virginia. Due to its recent record of voting Democratic even during Republican national victories, Nebraska's 2nd congressional district has been called "the Blue Dot".

Ted Cruz has served as a United States senator from Texas since 2013 after being appointed as the 3rd Solicitor General of Texas by then Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, he served this role from 2003 to 2008. Initially reluctant to support Trump, Cruz has become a key Republican figure and a close ally of Trump. Cruz was born in Canada after his father, preacher Rafael Cruz, immigrated there from Cuba, though he is still able fulfill the natural-born citizen requirement due to his mother's American citizenship which he inherited. He now serves as the chair of the Senate Commerce Committee after serving as the ranking member from 2023 to 2025. The runner-up to Donald Trump in the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries, Cruz has said that he expects to seek the presidency again at some point. He was mentioned as a potential candidate by Axios and The Hill. In December 2025, The Washington Post reported that Cruz was considering a presidential campaign.

Ron DeSantis has served as the 46th governor of Florida since 2019 and previously ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. He is barred by the state's constitution from seeking a third term as governor. He expressed an openness towards running for president in a March 2026 podcast interview with Sean Hannity. The Florida Phoenix described it as DeSantis "leaving the door open" for a potential run.

Rand Paul has served as the U.S. Senator from Kentucky since 2011. He previously ran for president in 2016, dropping out after finishing fifth in the 2016 Iowa Republican presidential caucuses. He stated in a December 2025 ABC News interview that he did not view Vice President JD Vance as Trump's "heir apparent." He indicated in a March 2026 interview on CBS News Sunday Morning that he was "considering" a run for president in 2028, saying it was a fifty-fifty chance he would run.

Marco Rubio is the United States Secretary of State and served as a U.S. senator from Florida from 2011 to 2025. Rubio sought the Republican nomination for president of the United States in 2016, losing to Donald Trump. It was speculated in November 2025 that vice president JD Vance and Rubio would likely run against each other. Other sources report Rubio acknowledging Vance as the clear front-runner for the nomination, and that he "will do anything he can just to support the vice president in that effort." According to Vanity Fair, Rubio has said that he will not enter the race if JD Vance enters. According to Politico, Rubio is also speculated as the running mate for a possible Vance run, with President Trump repeatedly naming Vance and Rubio as his two most likely successors. Following Rubio's prominent role in the Iran war in March 2026, speculation increased that Rubio would run for president in 2028. President Trump also polled a group of GOP donors at Mar-a-Lago, who overwhelmingly supported Rubio.

JD Vance has served as the 50th vice president of the United States since 2025. He previously served as a U.S. senator from Ohio from 2023 to 2025. According to some commentators, Vance would be the likely successor for Trump's presidency. In an interview in November 2025, he acknowledged that he thought about running for president in 2028 and planned to speak with President Trump about it after the midterms, but said he wants to focus on winning the midterms first. In February 2026, Reuters reported that Vance and Rubio had become the central figures in speculation over Trump's possible Republican successor, while noting that Trump had declined to endorse either man.

Tucker Carlson is a conservative media personality, podcaster, and former Fox News host. Since his dismissal from Fox News in 2023, Carlson has rebuilt a large independent media presence, amassing nearly 22 million followers across YouTube and X. Widely regarded as one of the most influential voices on the American right, he has positioned himself on the isolationist, "America First" wing of the Republican Party, clashing with President Donald Trump over U.S. military action in Iran, which he described as "absolutely disgusting and evil." Following that rift, former U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene publicly urged Carlson to seek the presidency, writing that he "would beat Trump if he ran." In a March 2026 interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored, when pressed on a possible presidential run, Carlson did not rule one out, saying "As for Ted Cruz, he says he’s running against me for president. I almost want to run for president just to debate Ted Cruz." A new biography by journalist Jason Zengerle has further fueled speculation, with observers quoted in the book suggesting that if his break with Trump widens, Carlson "could then portray himself to a disillusioned MAGA base as the true leader of their movement — and run for president himself in 2028."

Josh Hawley has served as a U.S. senator from Missouri since 2019, having previously served as the Missouri Attorney General from 2017 to 2019. He has been mentioned as a potential candidate by Axios and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Thomas Massie has served as the U.S. representative for Kentucky's 4th congressional district since 2012. A Republican with libertarian leanings, he is known for fiscal conservatism and often voting against party leadership. In October 2025, former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey endorsed him for president on X, posting "@RepThomasMassie for president." Massie responded positively but said he had no intention to run. Following a public clash with President Donald Trump in late 2025—particularly over demands to release the Epstein files—online speculation surged about a potential 2028 presidential ticket with Marjorie Taylor Greene, dubbed "Massie-Greene 2028" by supporters. Massie has not declared any presidential candidacy and remains in Congress, where he faces a Trump-backed primary challenge in his 2026 reelection bid amid ongoing tensions, including his push for Epstein file releases.

The following individuals have publicly denied interest in being a candidate:

• Greg Abbott, 48th governor of Texas (2015–present)
• Steve Bannon, former Senior Counselor to the President from Virginia (2017)
• Mike Braun, 52nd governor of Indiana (2025–present), U.S. senator from Indiana (2019–2025)
• Spencer Cox, 18th governor of Utah (2021–present)
• Sean Duffy, 20th United States secretary of transportation (2025–present)
• Marjorie Taylor Greene, U.S. representative from GA-14 (2021–2026) (endorsed Carlson)
• Mike Johnson, 56th speaker of the United States House of Representatives (2023–present), U.S. representative from LA-4 (2017–present)
• Ron Johnson, U.S. senator from Wisconsin (2011–present)
• Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk, CEO of Turning Point USA (2025–present) (endorsed Vance)
• Dave McCormick, U.S. senator from Pennsylvania (2025–present)
• Donald Trump Jr., businessman and son of incumbent president Donald Trump
• Glenn Youngkin, 74th governor of Virginia (2022–2026) (endorsed Vance)

NBC News has reported that multiple DNC members are looking into changing the order of state primaries for the Democratic nomination. Chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party Jane Kleeb stated in November 2024 that "The 2024 calendar will absolutely not be the calendar for 2028." The DNC chose South Carolina to be the first primary in 2024. In December 2024, Ray Buckley, chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, announced his intention to work towards restoring New Hampshire's status as the first-in-the-nation Democratic presidential primary for the 2028 presidential nominating calendar. Democrats in Nevada have started a bid to hold the first-in-the-nation primary in 2028.

In 2023, the Democratic National Committee voted to strip Iowa of its first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses. In November 2024, after the presidential election, Scott Brennan, the only Iowan on the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee at the time, said he still plans to fight for the return of the first-in-the-nation presidential caucus spot back to Iowa. In June 2025, Iowa's only seat on the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee, which determines the order of states in the presidential nominating process, was removed, and New Hampshire was awarded a second seat on the committee.

Ken Martin, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, said in an August 2025 NewsNation interview that the Rules and Bylaws Committee would discuss the 2028 primary calendar in a Minneapolis meeting later in the month.

Martin and other party officials, including Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland, have discussed the possibility of using ranked-choice voting in the 2028 Democratic presidential primaries. Supporters argue that the system could reduce "wasted votes" and that it would encourage more positive campaigning. Sources such as*Alaska Beacon* indicated that with plurality voting, which is how most states currently conduct primaries, it is possible to win an election without majority support and that the ranked-choice voting alternative performed much better. After Zohran Mamdani won the 2025 New York City Democratic mayoral primary, progressive voters have proposed that ranked-choice voting could be implemented.

Andy Beshear has served as the 63rd governor of Kentucky since 2019. He was also considered a potential running mate for Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential election. In an October 2025 interview with NPR, he mentioned the possibility of running for president in 2028, and during a visit to New Hampshire later that month, he said he would "consider" a run. In December 2025, CBS News reported that Beshear's new role as chair of the Democratic Governors Association was raising his national profile; Beshear said Democratic governors "produce tangible results that you can see and touch and feel". In a January 2026 profile in Politico, Beshear argued that his status as "a guy who has won three straight statewide elections in a Trump plus-30 state" made him the most electable candidate for Democrats. While announcing his new book in February 2026, Beshear again left open the possibility of a presidential run, saying, "While I haven't made any decision about 2028, what I have committed to is not leaving a broken country to my kids or to anybody else's."

Cory Booker has served as a U.S. senator from New Jersey since 2013 and ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. He previously served as mayor of Newark, New Jersey from 2006 to 2013. On April 1, 2025, Booker broke the record for the longest Senate floor speech in protest against Donald Trump and Elon Musk, which GOP pollster Frank Luntz remarked positioned him as a party leader in the coming future. He has been considered a presidential candidate by The Birmingham News. In November 2025, during a visit to New Hampshire, Booker told Fox News, "Of course I'm thinking about it, I haven't ruled it out." with respect to a 2028 campaign, while saying he was focused on his re-election campaign in 2026. He stated in a March 2026 interview that he was not ruling out a run.

Pete Buttigieg served as the United States Secretary of Transportation from 2021 to 2025. Prior to becoming Secretary of Transportation, he served as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, from 2012 to 2020. Buttigieg was thrust into the national spotlight with his 2020 presidential campaign, where he narrowly won the Iowa caucus and finished a close second in the New Hampshire primary, but ultimately dropped out after a poor performance in South Carolina. Buttigieg was also a contender to be Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate after she secured the Democratic nomination for president. If nominated, Buttigieg would be the first openly LGBT individual to receive the nomination of a major party in the United States.

It was later reported that Buttigieg was leading polls in New Hampshire in October 2025. In February 2026, a University of New Hampshire Granite State Poll again found Buttigieg leading the prospective Democratic field in New Hampshire. Asked during a February 2026 visit to New Hampshire whether he would run for president in 2028, Buttigieg replied that it was "a long way from any kind of decision like that."

Rahm Emanuel most recently served as United States ambassador to Japan from 2022 to 2025. He represented Illinois in the United States House of Representatives for three terms from 2003 to 2009. He was the White House Chief of Staff from 2009 to 2010 under President Barack Obama and served as mayor of Chicago from 2011 to 2019. He has expressed interest in September 2025 in an article in The Wall Street Journal, as well as in October 2025 in The Atlantic, and in January 2026 in Axios. In that January 2026 Axios interview, Emanuel said that "there's two wings in our party right now, and I hope to dominate one of them," contrasting a Democratic "renewal wing" with what he called a "resistance wing". Later that month, Axios reported that Emanuel was among the few prospective 2028 Democratic candidates willing to give direct answers on transgender issues, saying that "a man" could not become "a woman". Also in January 2026, Emanuel proposed a mandatory retirement age of 75 for the president, Congress, and federal judges, a standard he said would apply to him as well.

Ruben Gallego has served as a U.S. senator from Arizona since 2025. He has been mentioned a potential candidate by The Hill, Politico, and The New York Times. Gallego stated in an April 2026 interview that he would "have to look at it," referring to a potential run for president.

Josh Green has served as the 9th governor of Hawaii since 2022, and previously served as the 15th lieutenant governor and in both houses of the Hawaii Legislature. Green also told the Associated Press in November 2025 that he is open to running but would rather support someone else; in the same interview, Green, whom the AP described as a moderate, said, "I will definitely try to heal America, even perhaps as president someday, if we're really in deep trouble."

Kamala Harris served as the 49th (and first female) vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. She became the party's nominee for president in the 2024 presidential election after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race, losing to Trump. Following the 2024 presidential election, Harris considered running for governor of California in 2026, but in July 2025 she opted not to, a decision that left open the possibility of another presidential bid. In a Chicago stop of her 107 Days book tour, Harris expressed uncertainty about running again. In an interview with the Associated Press that month, Harris said of a possible 2028 run, "I haven't decided. Sincerely. I have not decided. I may or I may not. I have not decided," while also saying, "I am a leader of the party." She later spoke with Laura Kuenssberg in an October 2025 interview on BBC News about potentially running for president again, stating "I am not done". In November 2025, Morning Consult reported that Harris remained atop its hypothetical Democratic primary field. In February 2026, polls suggested that Harris would win the election in a rematch with President Donald Trump. She remarked in a podcast interview with Sharon McMahon that same month that she had not decided on running again for president in 2028.

Mark Kelly has served as a U.S. senator from Arizona since 2020. He was previously on the shortlist to be the vice presidential nominee for the 2024 election, and was seen as a potential replacement for President Joe Biden before he withdrew from the race. He has been noted as a potential candidate by Axios and Politico. During a January 2026 interview with Aaron Parnas, Kelly confirmed he was considering a run for president. He reiterated that he was considering a presidential run in an interview with CNN several weeks later, and again in a BBC interview in February.

Ro Khanna has served as the U.S. representative for California's 17th congressional district since 2017. A progressive aligned with the Bernie Sanders wing of the Democratic Party, he was a co-chair of Sanders's 2020 presidential campaign. In November 2025, Semafor wrote that the "very early 2028 conversation" had produced "a surge" for Khanna, and in January 2026, Axios included him among Democrats viewed as possible 2028 contenders. Khanna gave his clearest public indication of possible interest in March 2026, when, during an interview with WMUR-TV while visiting New Hampshire, he said of a possible presidential bid, "We'll look at that after the midterm," and added that he would decide "whether I'm a candidate or not" after the midterm.

Gavin Newsom has served as the 40th governor of California since 2019. Newsom has been widely viewed as a contender for the 2028 presidential election by outlets including Reuters and the Associated Press. He was seen as a potential replacement for Biden after his withdrawal from the 2024 election by The New York Times. According to The New York Times, Newsom was considering a bid for the presidency by September 2023. After Newsom's response to the June 2025 Los Angeles protests, it was reported that his chances of being the 2028 Democratic nominee increased significantly. Newsom's chances reportedly rose further in August 2025, attributed to the Election Rigging Response Act and him mocking President Donald Trump on social media. In October 2025, in an interview with CBS News Sunday Morning, Newsom stated that after the 2026 midterm elections, he would give "serious thought" to it, adding, "Yeah, I'd be lying otherwise." In December 2025, Axios reported that rival Democratic operatives viewed Newsom as the early 2028 frontrunner and "the guy to beat". When asked about running for president in February 2026, he stated "It's wildly premature." Later that month, Newsom told The Guardian, "If someone else doesn't have that fire, that sense of purpose and mission, then, yeah, I could see myself stepping into that void."

John Fetterman has served as a U.S. senator from Pennsylvania since 2023, and previously served as Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania from 2019 to 2023. Fetterman has frequently been considered one of the Senate Democratic Caucus's most centrist members, most notably for crossing party lines to confirm some of Trump's Cabinet appointees, his consistent support for the state of Israel, and his decision to vote with Senate Republicans to end the shutdown fight. Fetterman has been reported to be "leaving all doors open" for 2028, including a run for re-election to the Senate as well as a presidential bid. When asked about a presidential run, he replied "it's 2025."

Phil Murphy served as the 56th governor of New Jersey from 2018 to 2026. He previously served as U.S. ambassador to Germany from 2009 to 2013 under President Barack Obama. In December 2025, Murphy confirmed that while he hadn't ruled out running for president in 2028, he claimed "I wouldn't put a lot of money on that."

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has served as the representative of New York's 14th congressional district since 2019. Politico noted that Ocasio-Cortez "has a prominent following from younger, diverse people". Axios noted in April 2025 that Ocasio-Cortez has been "surging in early polling of potential 2028 presidential candidates". Despite this lead, it was later noted that the odds of other candidates such as Gavin Newsom were starting to widen. Vanity Fair has reported that Ocasio-Cortez is reluctant to launch a presidential campaign and also noted that some have called for her to primary Chuck Schumer in the 2028 New York Senate elections. In September 2025, Axios reported that Ocasio-Cortez was positioning to run for president or Senate in 2028. The Hill conducted a poll on December 8, 2025, where Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez led among young voters. According to other polls by The Guardian, Ocasio-Cortez is one of the top contenders beside Harris and Newsom. In December, Ocasio-Cortez responded to a poll that showed she led Vance by tweeting "Bloop!" She has drawn contrasts between herself and Vance on various issues as of January 2026. In 2026, Ocasio-Cortez attended the Munich Security Conference, which increased her visibility.

Jon Ossoff has served as a U.S. senator from Georgia since 2021. Following speeches in February 2026 where Ossoff characterized wealthy members of Donald Trump's cabinet as "the Epstein class" and characterized Trump as a "spiritually broken president," he became subject to speculation that if successfully reelected in 2026, he could be a presidential candidate in 2028.

JB Pritzker has served as the 43rd governor of Illinois since 2019. Pritzker is one of the wealthiest elected officials in America, with an estimated net worth of $3.7 billion, and has largely bankrolled his own gubernatorial campaigns, as well as national abortion-rights initiatives. Pritzker was considered a potential running mate to Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. Pritzker is a potential Democratic contender, according to Capitol News Illinois, The New York Times, and The Hill, and has declined to rule out a run. In 2023, Pritzker declined to speak directly with Representative Dean Phillips regarding his effort to try to convince him to enter the Democratic Party presidential primary race to oppose Biden. Pritzker is also seeking a third term as governor of Illinois in 2026.

Josh Shapiro has served as the 48th governor of Pennsylvania since 2023. Being elected in 2022 by 15 points in a state won by Donald Trump twice, and with him being relatively popular in his home state. Following the announcement of his autobiography and book tour, he has been viewed as a potential Democratic presidential candidate by The Washington Post and The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Jon Stewart is an activist, comedian, and commentator. Stewart had been the subject of speculation for years as a potential presidential candidate, including in a Politico opinion piece by Juleanna Glover where Stewart was described as a potentially formidable anti-establishment outsider 2024 Democratic candidate in the event that Biden did not run. Since then, Stewart has been mentioned as a potential 2028 Democratic candidate by The Hill, USA Today, the Washington Examiner, and Zeteo in late 2025 as well as Current Affairs in early 2026. In a late July 2025 interview with Mehdi Hasan, Stewart stated that "the Democratic Party is ripe for a takeover ... they just need to find the right reality host," and was pressed by Hasan on a potential 2028 Democratic presidential run, to which Hasan recalled that Stewart "didn't deny that was what he was suggesting." Stewart has been included in multiple 2028 national primary polls by Echelon Insights from September to November 2025. In a December 2025 interview with Tim Miller of The Bulwark, Stewart mentioned that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could be a strong Republican nominee in 2028. Miller responded by suggesting a potential election face-off between Kennedy and Stewart, to which Stewart did not offer comment. Race to the White House includes Stewart at 2% in its national presidential polling average for the Democratic primaries as of March 2026. Stewart later addressed the idea of running for president directly in January 2026, stating that he believed appeals were coming out of a feeling of "helplessness."

Gretchen Whitmer has served as the 49th governor of Michigan since 2019. Whitmer has been considered a potential presidential candidate by multiple media sources. Whitmer has cast doubt on a 2028 presidential bid, but said she would not close the door on it.

The following individuals have publicly denied interest in being a candidate:

• Joe Biden, 46th president of the United States (2021–2025), 47th vice president of the United States (2009–2017) and U.S. senator from Delaware (1973–2009)
• James Carville, political consultant and author (endorsed Pritzker)
• Stephen Colbert, comedian and host of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
• Josh Gottheimer, U.S. representative from NJ-05 (2017–present) and candidate for governor of New Jersey in 2025
• John Hickenlooper, U.S. senator from Colorado (2021–present), 42nd governor of Colorado (2011–2019), and candidate for president in 2020
• Wes Moore, 63rd governor of Maryland (2023–present) and CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation (2017–2021)
• Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States (2009–2017)
• Jared Polis, 43rd governor of Colorado (2019–present) and U.S. representative from CO-02 (2009–2019)
• Bernie Sanders, U.S. senator from Vermont (2007–present), U.S. representative from VT-AL (1991–2007), and candidate for president in 2016 and 2020
• Elissa Slotkin, U.S. senator from Michigan (2025–present) and U.S representative from MI-07 (2019–2025)
• Stephen A. Smith, sports media personality (endorsed Moore, Rubio and Shapiro)
• Tim Walz, 41st governor of Minnesota (2019–present), U.S. representative from MN-01 (2007–2019) and vice presidential nominee in 2024

Andrew Yang is a businessman and political activist who sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. He later founded the Forward Party. In early 2026, excerpts from his forthcoming book reported by The Independent and The Times quoted Yang as saying that “the odds of my running again are high,” signaling potential interest in a 2028 presidential bid, likely under the Forward Party banner.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is an environmental lawyer and political activist based in California who currently serves as Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Donald Trump. He ran for president in 2024, initially seeking the Democratic nomination before launching an independent campaign, suspending it in August 2024, and endorsing Trump. Speculation about a 2028 campaign began as early as July 2025, when Kennedy's super PAC co-hosted an organizing call for supporters that attendees described as a step toward another presidential run. In August 2025, Kennedy denied the speculation on X, framing the statement explicitly as an expression of loyalty to Trump rather than a firm personal decision, and his wife, actress Cheryl Hines, echoed the denial in December 2025. Despite these denials, Kennedy has continued to be widely speculated upon as a 2028 contender, appearing on The Washington Post's ranking of potential 2028 Republican candidates and listed by Ballotpedia among politicians discussed in media as potential 2028 candidates. New York magazine also examined the prospects of a Kennedy run in a dedicated analysis. His cousin, congressional candidate Jack Schlossberg, stated in March 2026 that Kennedy would "definitely" run, citing his following among supporters of the Make America Healthy Again movement.

The following individuals have publicly denied interest in being a candidate:

• Mark Cuban, billionaire businessman, co-owner of the Dallas Mavericks, and co-founder of 2929 Entertainment
• Jack Dorsey, former CEO of Twitter and founder of Bluesky (endorsed Massie)
• Bill Maher, television host, comedian, actor and political commentator (endorsed Smith)
• Kyrsten Sinema, U.S. senator from Arizona (2019–2025) and U.S. representative from AZ-09 (2013–2019)

Monthly average of polling