# Frontrunners for Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, {DO NOT rehash past candidates} **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 16, 2025, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036 "2025-01-16T06:50:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 128
**Author:** ![JDYanYan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jdyanyan/32/21663_2.png) [@JDYanYan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JDYanYan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2553 "2026-09-18T02:52:07Z")
At this moment I think it’s more likely than not that Harris ends up the nominee, but outside of California she’s never polled strongly. That isn’t the biggest thing but Dems tend to face uphill climbs as it is. I’d prefer whoever is polling strongest. I think things could be very different by the time the next election rolls around. Dens spent about 2-3 years talking about who would be the nominee in 2020 without knowing there’d be a pandemic. I imagine most of the conversations in 2007 about the presidential nominee were deemed moot by the great recession. Right now we don’t know what the country will be looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2554 "2026-09-18T03:07:16Z")
> [@JDYanYan](#): > > At this moment I think it’s more likely than not that Harris ends up the nominee At this moment 12 years ago it was more likely than not that Biden and Jeb! would be the nominees. ---
**Author:** ![JDYanYan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jdyanyan/32/21663_2.png) [@JDYanYan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JDYanYan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2555 "2026-09-18T03:18:56Z")
Republicans are a different breed than dems. So the Jeb! (Or Rudy) candidacies are victims of a much different primary electorate. I think the best comparison is Hillary’s huge polling lead in 2007. She had 48% of the vote with Obama running second with 21%. So an Ossoff someone like that could surely make an argument as the face of the future, just like Obama did. But I will say (barring a health issue, or just a lack of will to run) she’ll either be the nominee, or be running in second place. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2556 "2026-09-18T13:04:58Z")
If Harris wins, it will be more because people are voting “not-a-Republican” rather than they genuinely want Harris. I don’t feel there’s anything compelling about her specifically. I feel she’s a generic Democrat who says whatever the focus group analysis indicates she should say. Some of the ideas she came up with with on her own seemed weird, like her plan to help Black people get into the cannabis industry. If she gets the nomination, the hope is that enough independents and Republicans are so fed up with Trump and the Republican party that they either stay home or vote for Harris out of spite. I don’t see her as a candidate which will motivate the electorate to vote for her, so I don’t see her motivating the non-core Democrats enough to overcome a charismatic Republican candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2557 "2026-09-18T13:22:46Z")
> [@ZosterSandstorm](#): > > Box Wine Kamala Wtf is this even referring to? What a weird insult to use. > [@Procrustus](#): > > I don’t get the hate for Harris. I like her. She’s not my top choice, but I have no issues with her or how she ran her campaign. Yeah, I really don’t get the hate. Harris isn’t the best option in my opinion; she dropped out on 2020 with about 4% support in the primary, so it’s not exactly like she was a frontrunner. I doubt she would have been the nominee in 2024 if Biden hadn’t dropped out the way he did. But I don’t get the vitriol for her at all. > [@PhillyGuy](#): > > As I said long ago in this thread, I first of all think that past electoral performance in tough general election races against MAGA opponents is the best test of who will be a strong nominee. Yes, we definitely need someone who outperformed Harris in a swing state on the ballot, at least as VP. ---
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2558 "2026-09-18T13:48:36Z")
I think Harris’s polling is pretty mediocre given her name recognition relative to the rest of the field. She will drop back as others officially run. I think she will probably run, but wouldn’t surprise me is she has a disappointing showing in South Carolina and drops out early. I don’t see her as any sort of favorite. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2559 "2026-09-18T13:54:36Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > the vitriol for her There isn’t much. You really do have to discount the Box Wine poster as that is just what they do. It is more a tension between, well mostly _one_ poster who posits that she is the _presumptive_ nominee, and others who have some combination of just not loving her, thinking she’d be a weak general election candidate, not thinking she’ll even run or get far if she did, and/or seeing much more strength on the bench with fresher faces. I think excitement is best served with a fresher face. And I want excitement for something as well as the obvious anger so many have at what we have had. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2560 "2026-09-18T15:16:24Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > I like Kamala and I feel she would have made a fine president. Most importantly, she would have carried on Biden’s considerable work, for which he is underappreciated. If she is the nominee, I will vote for her and be fine with it. > > However, there is a staleness to her candidacy that’s hard to shake. It’s not merited, it’s not fair. But it’s there. An ever-present reminder of the painful loss to Trump in 2024. An undercurrent of nervousness: Could it happen again? > > Voters, rightly or wrongly, will be much more enthused for a fresh face. This exactly expresses my feelings. I’d just as soon she not run for this reason. If she’s nominated, i will campaign for her enthusiastically. > [@Babale](#): > > > [@ZosterSandstorm](#): > > > > Box Wine Kamala > > Wtf is this even referring to? What a weird insult to use. Yeah. It’s one of those insults that reflects more on the person using it than on the person insulted. For that matter, box wine is affordable, available, and reliably good, if never great. I would LOVE to have a president with those virtues. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2561 "2026-09-18T15:26:08Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Real military pilot against military journalist sounds good to me. But it doesn’t really matter how it sounds to me, only how it sounds to swing/uncertain voters. And it’s been many decades since there was any evidence that voters actually care about military service. By my count, there have been seven elections since 1972 in which one candidate was a highly decorated military veteran and the other had either an unimpressive service record or never served at all, and the civilians have won six of them (1972, 1980, 1992, 1996, 2004, 2008; 1988 was the only time since 1960 that a veteran beat a non-veteran). John McCain in 2008 was the last veteran to even win a nomination. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2562 "2026-09-18T16:32:33Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > 1988 was the only time since 1960 that a veteran beat a non-veteran 1988 was Bush beating Dukakis, and 1960 was Kennedy beating Nixon, and AFAICT all four were veterans. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2563 "2026-09-18T16:56:12Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > unimpressive service record Nixon and Dukakis qualify, one may argue. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2564 "2026-09-18T17:27:39Z")
George HW Bush flew 58 combat missions in WW2, and was once shot down and had to parachute into the ocean. Dukakis was in military intelligence for three years during peacetime. JFK piloted a PT boat and earned medals for heroism in combat, including a Purple Heart. Nixon served in the Navy as an operations officer and never saw combat. No disrespect to Dukakis or Nixon, and I was incorrect in calling Dukakis a “non-veteran”, but I think it’s fair to say their opponents had significantly more impressive military credentials. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2565 "2026-09-18T18:43:06Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > I also have no issues with her and might even favor her nomination – except that we have other great choices who are proven swing (or red) state vote getters when they faced MAGA opponents. Who are? > [@Aspenglow](#): > > I like Kamala and I feel she would have made a fine president. Most importantly, she would have carried on Biden’s considerable work, for which he is underappreciated. If she is the nominee, I will vote for her and be fine with it. > > However, there is a staleness to her candidacy that’s hard to shake. It’s not merited, it’s not fair. I concur, but that “staleness” may go away. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2566 "2026-09-18T18:53:50Z")
I, for one, am just relieved that from this point on we’ll never have to hear again about what a presidential candidate did or didn’t do in Vietnam. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2567 "2026-09-18T18:57:31Z")
We just heard about what presidential candidates did or didn’t do in WW2. 🙀 🤪 Maybe we can keep this to current candidates? 🙀 ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2568 "2026-09-18T18:58:59Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Maybe we can keep this to current candidates? That was my point - the current crop of candidates are all too young to have been eligible for the draft. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2569 "2026-09-18T19:01:54Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > That was my point - the current crop of candidates are all too young to have been eligible for the draft. Yeah, currently the oldest on the “list” are Harris & Kelly both 64, and Pritzker 63. ---
**Author:** ![JDYanYan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jdyanyan/32/21663_2.png) [@JDYanYan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JDYanYan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2570 "2026-09-18T19:03:16Z")
The thing that strikes me most about the talk about Harris, is it just sounds so similar to how people talked about Biden in 2020. I think I’d be personally more likely to vote for Ossoff or Kelly if I had to decide this moment. (Biden certainly wasn’t my first or second choice either) but I wonder if the dynamics that knocked out the rest of the primary field back then are still in play. Because the people who can actually beat Harris aren’t part of the Bernie Sanders’ cool kids club. So I could see a divided primary defaulting to Harris after the “fresh face” people refuse to definitively pick who that face should be. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2571 "2026-09-18T19:09:23Z")
I can’t understand why Harris is still under consideration at all. She failed to flip a single swing state! Her candidacy was abysmal. She gave us the second Trump term. Why in the fucking hell is anyone still talking about Harris? She needs to get out of politics forever. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2572 "2026-09-18T21:41:57Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > Why in the fucking hell is anyone still talking about Harris? Simple answer: name recognition so she polls well. Add to that that the primary season starts in South Carolina and the older Black demographic in particular seems to like her more than any other group does. Problem for her though is that the big donors who came out when she was Biden’s replacement are mostly of the same analysis as you are. And riding a wave of small donors Bernie style is unlikely to be in her cards. My sense remains that she is waiting to see if some big checkbooks yet open up. If not then she announces, after midterms, that she is not running. And we see if Newsom’s gambit plays out and she endorses him. Meanwhile a media buzz favorite now has a feature piece in The Atlantic as well. He is hot. But I suspect will win his Senate race and peak there, too soon. I’m going to wonder who starts to rise a month after midterms… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036.md?page=127) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036.md?page=129)