Presidential primaries and caucuses are going to be organized by the Democratic Party to select delegates to the 2028 Democratic National Convention to determine the party's nominee for president in the 2028 election. The primaries and caucuses will take place in all 50 U.S. states, in the District of Columbia, in five U.S. territories, and through Democrats Abroad.
Candidates Expressed interest
Andy Beshear 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. Beshear stated in a May 2026 interview with Ali Vitali of MS NOW that he would not make a decision on entering the presidential race until his tenure as the head of the Democratic Governors Association concludes. Beshear's frequent travel in 2026 has fueled speculation that he may be laying groundwork for a presidential campaign.
Pete Buttigieg 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 ran for president in 2020, 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 upon Biden's withdrawal from the election. If nominated, Buttigieg would be the first openly gay individual to receive the nomination of a major party in the United States.
Buttigieg hinted at a 2028 presidential run when speaking with Al Sharpton in April 2026. Buttigieg was shown to be leading polls for the Democratic primary later in May.
On August 3, 2026, Buttigieg indicated in a podcast interview with Steven Bartlett that he was "more inclined than not" to launch another presidential bid.
Rahm Emanuel 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. Emanuel ran a bike tour in early primary state New Hampshire in June 2026, fueling speculation of a presidential run.
Kamala Harris 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. Harris confirmed in April she was considering running for president in a conversation with Al Sharpton. Harris gave a speech at the National Urban League in July that was speculated to be the basis of a 2028 presidential platform.
Mark Kelly 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. Kelly stated that he was considering a presidential run in a BBC interview in February, and once again in April at a conference in Washington DC. It was reported in July 2026 that Kelly has amassed a war chest of $25 million, again fueling speculation that he may run for president. Kelly spoke in August 2026 about the possibility of running for president.
Ro Khanna 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. 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. Khanna "teased a presidential run during a conversation with ... Al Sharpton" in early April 2026. In June 2026, Politico reported that former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain has been advising Khanna "as he prepares for a possible 2028 presidential bid."
In July 2026, Khanna was detained by the IDF alongside Cameron Kasky and Nadav Weiman, the executive director of the Israeli NGO Breaking the Silence, after trying to visit the ruins of the ruined Palestinian Bedouin village of Khirbet Zanuta. When Reuters prompted him on the question of a presidential bid, he said, "I'm strongly considering it and I'm more resolved to consider it after this trip."
Mitch Landrieu Mitch Landrieu most recently served as senior advisor to the president for infrastructure investment and jobs from 2021 to 2024. He previously served as mayor of New Orleans from 2010 to 2018 and lieutenant governor of Louisiana from 2004 to 2010. In an interview with CNN, Landrieu expressed possible interest in a presidential campaign, stating "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." Randal Gaines, the chair of the Louisiana Democratic Party, spoke to Landrieu about running for the 2026 United States Senate election in Louisiana, though Landrieu was more interested in "a run for president." During an interview with Politico in September, Landrieu expressed interest in running for president.}
Don Lemon Don Lemon most recently worked as a television news anchor for CNN from 2006 to 2023. He previously served as a correspondent and host on several CNN programs, including Don Lemon Tonight. Following his departure from CNN, Lemon launched independent media projects and public commentary programs, such as The Don Lemon Show. On May 6, 2026, during the Sir Harry Evans Investigative Journalism Summit, Lemon revealed his ambitions towards a potential candidacy, expressing that he was "seriously considering" a presidential run. A fierce critic of Donald Trump, Lemon stated in an interview with journalist Kara Swisher that he could "definitely run the country a lot better than Donald Trump." He reiterated his interest in running for president in a July 2026 podcast interview with Travis Dhanraj and Karmen Wong, remarking that he was unimpressed with most of the prospective candidates and that significant political experience was no longer a requisite for public office. Although he is a registered independent, Lemon stated that he would register as a Democrat if he were to run for president.
Gavin Newsom 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 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 was later asked if he was considering a run in July 2026, and he responded "I really believe it's fate." He traveled to early primary state South Carolina as part of a southern tour in late August, fueling speculation that he may run for president. On September 14, 2026, Newsom told CNN's Jake Tapper that he won't run if Harris runs.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has served as the representative of since 2019. Politico noted that Ocasio-Cortez "has a prominent following from younger, diverse people". 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. According to Axios, Ocasio-Cortez has been seen as the only option for "far-left" Democrats, and has attempted to make amends with leftist critics, including by pledging not to support defensive aid to Israel at a forum of the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. She spoke about a possible 2028 presidential run while being interviewed by David Axelrod in May 2026. A September 2026 article in The Denver Gazette speculated on ways she may be able to overcome her electability weaknesses as a potential presidential candidate. David Smith has suggested that Ocasio-Cortez is becoming more popular with economic populist voters and universal healthcare as well as pointing to recent winning by democratic socialists. In September 2026, she said that she will decide whether to run for president or for Chuck Schumer's Senate seat after the midterm elections.
Elissa Slotkin Elissa Slotkin has served as a U.S. senator from Michigan since 2025. She indicated that she was considering a 2028 presidential run in an April 2026 interview with the Associated Press, and in an interview with The Des Moines Register that same month. Slotkin later reiterated the possibility of a presidential run during Politico's Global Security Summit in May and an appearance at the Detroit Economic Club in June.
Chris Van Hollen Chris Van Hollen has served as a U.S. senator from Maryland since 2017. In a podcast interview with NOTUS after visiting Iowa and New Hampshire in June 2026, Van Hollen said that he was "kicking the tires" on a 2028 presidential run.
Gretchen Whitmer Gretchen Whitmer has served as the 49th governor of Michigan since 2019. Whitmer cast doubt in early October 2025 on a 2028 presidential bid. That same month, she stated that she would not "close the door" on a run for president. She remarked in April 2026 that she was unsure of whether she would run.
She appeared to decline a run in May 2026 at the Mackinac Policy Conference and "backtracked" the same day, saying "never say never."
Speculated by the media
Chris Murphy Chris Murphy is the junior United States senator from Connecticut. Since the 2024 United States presidential election, Murphy has emerged as a prominent critic of Donald Trump and his agenda. Murphy focused on and expressed alarm over what he called "the erosion of American democracy and government corruption in the second Trump administration". The New York Times listed Murphy in May 2026 as a possible presidential candidate, while NBC News mentioned him in a May 2026 article.
JB Pritzker 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. 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. Pritzker is a potential Democratic contender, according to an April 2026 article in Time, and a May 2026 article by NBC News, and declined to rule out a run in August 2025.
Josh Shapiro