2027-2028 Presidential, senate, house, state and city election thread

[firestar464]

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/12/1 ... ats-001628

[caltrek]

The Democrats and Republicans Best Positioned — Right Now — for 2028
by Bill Scher
December 30, 2024

Introduction:

(Politico) Donald Trump darkly jokes about it. Steve Bannon is promoting it. Democrats shudder at the thought of it. But Trump cannot run for a third term under the Constitution. Which means the presidential primaries in both parties will be truly wide-open contests — with no incumbent president, former president or quasi-anointed front runner largely clearing either field — for the first time since 2008.

And whether you like it or not, the 2028 presidential primary is effectively underway, with ambitious politicians in both parties already jockeying for advantage.

Formal campaign announcements may come sooner than you think. Recall that John Delaney launched his 2020 presidential campaign in July 2017, six months after Trump was inaugurated the first time. But even short of official campaign kickoffs, anyone interested in making the big run has to start laying the groundwork for a campaign — raising name identification, staking out ideological and policy turf, building donor networks — or risk falling behind before the campaign starts in earnest.

As 2024 comes to a close, it’s clear that some potential 2028 candidates made the most of the year, while others squandered opportunities.

Here’s who emerged best positioned for a White House run, with contenders tapped from the incoming and outgoing administrations, the Senate, governors’ mansions and the House.

The article mentions and briefly discusses (by my count) 11 Republicans and 14 Democrats that are seen as potential candidates for 2028.

Read more here: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine ... -00195391

[weatheriscool]

[weatheriscool]

Pete Buttigieg Declines to Run for Senate -- Because He's Eyeing the White House: Report

Source: MEDIAite

Mar 13th, 2025, 9:17 am

Former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg will not run for Senate in 2026 — mostly because he’s got his eye on a bigger prize. According to Politico, Buttigieg has ruled out a bid to join the upper chamber of Congress as the junior senator from Michigan after meeting with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and weighing his options.

“His decision was framed by several allies and people in his inner circle as putting him in the strongest possible position to seek the presidency, and based on a belief it would be exceedingly difficult to run successive campaigns in 2026 and 2028,” according to Politico.

“Pete was an A-list recruit and would have been a formidable candidate for the Senate had he chosen to run,” famed Democratic strategist David Axelrod told the outlet. “But had he won in ’26, it would almost certainly have taken him out of the conversation for ’28. This certainly keeps that option open.”

Buttigieg previously mounted an longshot bid for the White House in 2020. He managed to win the most delegates in the Iowa Caucus (despite finishing with the second most votes) and tie Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in New Hampshire. He dropped out after finishing fourth in the South Carolina primary. Prior to his confirmation as secretary of transportation in 2021, the highest title Buttigieg had ever held was mayor of South Bend, Indiana.

Read more: https://www.mediaite.com/news/pete-butt ... se-report/

[caltrek]

Calls for AOC to Primary Schumer Mount After 'Gutless' Surrender
by Jake Johnson
March 14, 2025

Introduction:

(Common Dreams) The Democratic Party erupted in anger late Thursday after its longtime Senate leader, Chuck Schumer, capitulated to Republicans on a government funding package that would slash critical programs and bolster the Trump administration's lawless assault on federal agencies.

The fury wasn't limited to the party's progressive wing, which was predictably incensed by Schumer's (D-N.Y.) announcement that he and a sufficient number of other Democrats would vote in favor of advancing the GOP bill to avert a government shutdown.

According to Axios, even centrist Democrats were among those "voicing support for a primary challenge" against Schumer, with members floating Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) as possible 2028 candidates against the minority leader.

"One lawmaker even vowed at the House Democratic retreat to 'write a check tonight' supporting Ocasio-Cortez," the outlet noted, citing an unnamed senior House Democrat.

CNN similarly reported that House Democrats—who, with the exception of Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, unified against the Republican funding package—"are so infuriated with Schumer's decision that some have begun encouraging [Ocasio-Cortez] to run against Schumer."

Read more here: https://www.commondreams.org/news/aoc- ... -schumer

[caltrek]

Kamala Harris Picked as Democrats’ Runaway 2028 Favorite in New Poll
by Kip Jones
March 21, 2025

Introduction:

(Mediaite via MSN) Democrats overwhelmingly selected former Vice President Kamala Harris as their preferred candidate in a Morning Consult poll released on Friday.

Four months after losing the 2024 election to President Donald Trump, Harris led the competition in the survey in a mock 2028 Democratic primary and the results were not close.

Harris, who has not announced any intention to seek another presidential nomination, led a pack of 19 candidates with the support of 36%.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg came in second with 10% support. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom, and Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz all tied for third with 5% support.

Read more here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politic ... 07&ei=63

[firestar464]

WHY

[raklian]

WHY

History rhymes, that's why.

[weatheriscool]

Trump won't rule out seeking a third term in the White House, tells NBC News 'there are methods' for doing so

Source: NBC

President Donald Trump did not rule out the possibility of seeking a third term in the White House, which is prohibited by the Constitution under the 22nd Amendment, saying in an exclusive interview with NBC News that there were methods for doing so and clarifying that he was “not joking.”

“A lot of people want me to do it,” Trump said in a Sunday-morning phone call with NBC News, referring to his allies. “But, I mean, I basically tell them we have a long way to go, you know, it’s very early in the administration.”

-snip-

Amending the Constitution to abolish the two-term limit would be exceedingly difficult, requiring either a two-thirds vote of Congress or two-thirds of the states agreeing to call a constitutional convention to propose changes. Either route would then require ratification from three-quarters of the states.

The president pointed to his poll numbers, saying that “a lot of people would like me to” hold office for a third term.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald ... rcna198752

[caltrek]

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith is Thinking About Running for President
by Phillip M. Bailey
April 8, 2025

Introduction:

(USA Today) On second thought.

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith is publicly opening the door about running for president a little less than a month after dismissing the idea.

"Time to stop messing around. Life is great. Especially at ESPN/Disney," the 57-year-old "First Take" host said in an April 7 post on X. "Hate the thought of being a politician. But sick of this mess. So I’m officially leaving all doors open."

The bombastic sports journalist, who currently has a feud with NBA basketball player LeBron James, has been floated by many as a potential White House contender. The calls for Smith to run have come given the populist wave that returned Donald Trump to the office, and calls for a shakeup in the Democratic Part

While many may scoff at the idea, it's worth noting that Trump was once in the basement of many Republican primary surveys ahead of his 2016 win. In the summer before, the real estate mogul was at 2% in a Texas Politics Project poll below GOP stalwarts at the time such as Marco Rubio, Scott Walker and Jeb Bush.

Read more here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/po ... 9458007/


caltrek’s comment: Beyond the information provided in the article, I have no idea who this Stephen Smith is.

I can see U.S. voters thinking that being an entertaining sports program host is a good qualification for being a good president.

[weatheriscool]

GA-GOV: Stacey Abrams Considers Third Run for Governor

“Eight years ago, Stacey Abrams delivered a speech at an Atlanta union hall that channeled the liberal outrage over President Donald Trump’s first term in office into her own budding campaign for Georgia’s top job,” the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.

“Now Trump is in his second term, Republicans are ascendant again in Georgia and Abrams is at the center of speculation over whether she will mount a third campaign for governor after back-to-back defeats to Gov. Brian Kemp.”

“Unlike her 2022 rematch against Kemp, however, Georgia Democrats aren’t stepping aside.”

https://politicalwire.com/2025/04/24/st ... -governor/

[caltrek]

Gina Raimondo Considering Presidential Bid
by Ashleigh Fields
April 30, 2025

Introduction:

(The Hill) Former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo (D) said she would consider running for president in 2028.

She made the comment during remarks at an event focused on tariffs, trade and tech hosted by the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy.

“I’ve dedicated 15 years to public service. And if I think there’s a big way for me to serve again, including running, I’ll do it,” Raimondo said in conversation with David Axelrod.

“But this is, but I also, if I thought somebody else would be better or better able to win, I’d get behind that person in a minute. Because this is, like, the stakes are high. And this is going to be really hard,” she added.

Raimondo served in the Biden administration and as Rhode Island’s governor prior to that. She was interviewed as Biden’s potential running mate but was ultimately passed over due to a low national profile.

Read more here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politic ... Article

[weatheriscool]

[weatheriscool]

Harris would be a sure loser. She lost because 1. She was seen as anti-law and linked to violence of 2020. The truth is a hell of a lot of people see this as a problem that is bigger then January 6th. I think violence from left and right are both wrong and I believe we should respect one another. 2020 and 2021 was a nasty and fucked up time.

2. Illigal Immigration.This turned people against harris. Again it goes back to the lawless image.

The democrats need to run someone that is pro law, pro borders but ok with legal immigration.

Democrats need to run someone that wants to rebuild jobs, the economy and to work for the American people. Someone that aims for hope and to restore the pride of this nation.

Going on about victimhood, promoting lawlessness or being seen as such is a sure loser. Harris has this image.

We need an fdr that has a plan to rebuild and strives to give people hope.

[weatheriscool]

[firestar464]

Harris would be a sure loser. She lost because 1. She was seen as anti-law and linked to violence of 2020. The truth is a hell of a lot of people see this as a problem that is bigger then January 6th. I think violence from left and right are both wrong and I believe we should respect one another. 2020 and 2021 was a nasty and fucked up time.

2. Illigal Immigration.This turned people against harris. Again it goes back to the lawless image.

The democrats need to run someone that is pro law, pro borders but ok with legal immigration.

Democrats need to run someone that wants to rebuild jobs, the economy and to work for the American people. Someone that aims for hope and to restore the pride of this nation.

Going on about victimhood, promoting lawlessness or being seen as such is a sure loser. Harris has this image.

We need an fdr that has a plan to rebuild and strives to give people hope.

2020 violence was overblown.

Also, yes people trusted the GOP on immigration, but as Dems framed Trump's deportations as an attack on due process, support for his policies has declined. Furthermore, the main issue was the economy.

Lastly, no one cares about race relations or sexual minorities. Again, their priorities are with the economy.

[Cyber_Rebel]

Harris would be a sure loser. She lost because 1. She was seen as anti-law and linked to violence of 2020. The truth is a hell of a lot of people see this as a problem that is bigger then January 6th. I think violence from left and right are both wrong and I believe we should respect one another. 2020 and 2021 was a nasty and fucked up time.

2. Illigal Immigration.This turned people against harris. Again it goes back to the lawless image.

The democrats need to run someone that is pro law, pro borders but ok with legal immigration.

Democrats need to run someone that wants to rebuild jobs, the economy and to work for the American people. Someone that aims for hope and to restore the pride of this nation.

Going on about victimhood, promoting lawlessness or being seen as such is a sure loser. Harris has this image.

We need an fdr that has a plan to rebuild and strives to give people hope.

Not disagreeing that Harris running again would mean another loss, but more so, disagree with the reasoning presented. None of what you noted actually matters. Harris actually did everything outlined within your post, and while hardly being an "FDR" figure was still labeled a commie. FDR himself might've done more than the perceived action on grocery "price gouging," for instance. I do find it rather ironic that this "lawless" image you present, is the opposite of how others who had an issue with her during the prior 2019-20 era did. Copmala was a known criticism, so somehow, I don't think that's of any relevancy other than Americans having an incredibly short memory span.

The 2020 violence was honestly something more spurred by the already tumultuous situation the world was facing with Covid-19. America was on the brink regardless.

Going on about victimhood, promoting lawlessness or being seen as such is a sure loser.

This sounds so remarkably similar to someone else, I wonder who might it be?

Here's the harsh truth; it doesn't matter who the Democrats run in 2028. It wasn't the Democratic Party which sabotaged their shot at having Bernie Sanders, the only real FDR equivalent for President back in 2020: It was YOU the voters who made that decision.

Until people understand this simple truth, that the culture in America itself and the inability to take responsibility for decisions made rather than abdicating them towards a representative or organization to blame, don't expect any remarkable electoral change whatsoever. The noble mislead American voter is just a modern-day reinterpretation of the noble savage; both wrong and so incredibly beret of the actual issue as to why elections in this country happened the way they have.

[caltrek]

Until people understand this simple truth, that the culture in America itself and the inability to take responsibility for decisions made rather than abdicating them towards a representative or organization to blame, don't expect any remarkable electoral change whatsoever.

I have always been philosophically prone toward holding elites accountable for most of the major socially controllable problems of the word. Still, I have come reluctantly to seeing the validity of this viewpoint. There is a sickness in the culture of this country that allows a Fox News to thrive and a Donald Trump to be elected president. This sickness is most pronounced in the so-called red states but is still detectable even here in California. It stems from a history that included slavery, apartheid, extreme xenophobia, the corrupt political practices of party bosses, misogyny, and homophobia. Elites have made the situation worse by exploiting the divisions that this historical inheritance involves and should thus still be held accountable on that score. It is sad that the U.S. had an opportunity to lead the world to a better and brighter future but has essentially blown that opportunity due to these manifestations of its cultural sickness.

[weatheriscool]

[Bird]

I'm still moderately concerned that we'll have 82-year-old Trump refusing to leave and trying to stay in for a third term. And yes, I think he'll still be alive.

Nominating Harris a second time would be absolutely moronic, but I wouldn't put anything past the American people at this point.