# 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:** 136
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2026, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2713 "2026-10-11T15:43:00Z")
I’m still not sure why Mark Kelly isn’t higher on these lists. His policies are sound, he doesn’t seem to have any scandals, and Republicans are terrified of him. And taking him out of the Senate won’t flip the chamber. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2026, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2714 "2026-10-11T15:45:54Z")
If you watch him make a speech, I think you’ll see why. ---
**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:** [October 11, 2026, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2715 "2026-10-11T16:18:04Z")
My pleasure. Among other things, two bits I added: 1. Their focus on the order of the primaries (Nevada early on, etc.) and the potential effects on certain contenders. 2. Whether AI might be a big issue, and whom this might help. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2026, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2716 "2026-10-11T16:21:57Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > If you watch him make a speech, I think you’ll see why. The knock on Kelly is that he doesn’t come across as a dynamic public speaker. I don’t entirely agree with that assessment, but I understand it, especially if you compare him with someone like Ossoff. ---
**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:** [October 11, 2026, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2717 "2026-10-11T19:08:48Z")
Thanks. Yes, very much so. ---
**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:** [October 11, 2026, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2718 "2026-10-11T21:27:10Z")
Good to know. They plan another session after the midterms – a chance to “trade picks” (like in a fantasy sports league, as I understand it). If that episode seems insightful, I’ll summarize it here. ---
**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:** [October 11, 2026, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2719 "2026-10-11T22:46:56Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > It seems ridiculous to imagine El-Sayed running only two years after being elected to the Senate. But someone’s going to take the left lane, and if AOC doesn’t run, who else is there? I wonder if leftists will ever consolidate back with progressives to elect a nominee, because if they have to distinguish themselves as the edgelord caucus ever single election, Dem are gonna end up nominating a whole lot of establishment candidates. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2026, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2720 "2026-10-11T22:51:44Z")
The right candidate could make that happen. Obama did it. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2026, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2721 "2026-10-11T22:55:51Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > The right candidate could make that happen. Obama did it ? Obama is a middle of the left side of the road Democrat. Yes, he’s to the left of, say, Bill Clinton, but that’s because Clinton is a middle of the road centrist. We’d have to go back to LBJ and FDR before him to find a progressive Democratic nominee, ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2026, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2722 "2026-10-11T22:58:34Z")
I’m talking about the first primary campaign. In '08, Obama had the progressive/left lane, and got those primary voters. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2026, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2723 "2026-10-11T23:02:18Z")
It’s going to be more difficult now because Trump essentially forced the traditional George Bush non-regressive conservatives out of the Republican Party. A lot of those voters are probably going to end up voting in the Democratic primary. ---
**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:** [October 11, 2026, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2724 "2026-10-11T23:09:28Z")
> [@JDYanYan](#): > > leftists will ever consolidate back with progressives Help me out. How to do define these as separate groups? However you do I don’t think that wing prevails without winning over a chunk of the center left/establishment crowd. They have to have a convincing enough theory of the case that triangulation towards the center is NOT the best strategy. And the case is there to make. I don’t think I’m alone in that center left group seeing this as maybe the cycle that a true progressive _can_ be the change agent that sells. Picking up folk who just don’t want more of Trump or establishment Democratic … but not scaring off the middle either. I don’t know if AOC could pull that off but I am open to being convinced during the cycle. She would be sure to come out strong. Galen’s prediction on that is the key: “And then let me tell you what happens next. In November, Nate Cohn puts out a poll at The New York Times that says AOC can’t win a general election, and all of a sudden everybody shifts to Jon Ossoff.” She has to demonstrate strength with independents and especially with Biden-Trump voters … not married to any party or policy positions, just wanting different. And with suburban women. Then we have a general election case. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2725 "2026-10-12T00:12:31Z")
I don’t think that “centrists” are a well-defined category. You’ve got some people that just aren’t very engaged with politics at all. You’ve got some who hold extreme views on a variety of issues, but not all extreme in the same direction. You’ve got some who definitely want extremism, but don’t care in what direction it’s extreme. You’ve got some who used to be unambiguously on one side, but for one reason or another have now changed their mind and are now unambiguously on the other side. You have some people who care passionately about one issue, but it’s not clear (to them, at least) which party better represents their view. All of those people could be called “centrists”, but the way to win their votes is going to be different for each of them. ---
**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:** [October 12, 2026, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2726 "2026-10-12T03:34:12Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Help me out. How to do define these as separate groups? Progressives are the people who love Liz Warren. Leftists are the people who despise Liz Warren for not endorsing Bernie after she dropped out of the 2020 primary. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2727 "2026-10-12T16:42:02Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > In '08, Obama had the progressive/left lane, and got those primary voters. Largely by default, though, standing against HClinton and Edwards. For 2028 though I am worried that the people in those “lanes” have grown more rigid about what they expect. ---
**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:** [October 12, 2026, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2728 "2026-10-12T19:17:30Z")
Kucinich I think was the closest to the Bernie lane. Obviously he never took off. Hopefully that brand of candidate will return to obscurity. ---
**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:** [October 13, 2026, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2729 "2026-10-13T12:37:51Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > I am worried that the people in those “lanes” have grown more rigid about what they expect. I suspect the opposite. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2730 "2026-10-13T13:48:49Z")
One certainly hopes so. But if we do get some catchily strident far-left candidate who collects a significant following then loses the D primary, I do expect a lot of them to be sour grapes stay-at-homes in Nov. Just like there always is. Sort of a replay of Bernie vs Hillary. They’ll justify it to themselves by something along the lines of: “Only the hard left can counter the hard right. Wishy washy conventional centrist Democrats won’t do a thing to stop the Fascists, so we’ve already lost.” Note how many smart hip people here have argued loud and long for years that abstaining from voting for your team does _not_ amount to a vote for the other team. Of course it does, but they’re not able (willing?) to comprehend that. ---
**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:** [October 13, 2026, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2731 "2026-10-13T18:04:57Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Sort of a replay of Bernie vs Hillary. Is that meant as bait? 😀 Keeping it relevant and not rehashing - if precedent informs what to expect, then they will overwhelmingly show and vote in the general, even as they grumble. They did not stay home that time to any significant degree. I’d be more concerned about the converse: if a progressive wing candidate wins the nomination this time will the more centrist D voters all fall in line? Not all Clinton supporters fell in line for Obama y’know. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2732 "2026-10-13T18:06:37Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Keeping it relevant and not rehashing - if precedent informs what to expect, then they will overwhelmingly show and vote in the general, even as they grumble. I agree with that. My hypothesis is that leftists are a lot more willing to turn out when it means voting against an incumbent Republican than to re-elect an incumbent Democrat. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036.md?page=135) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036.md?page=137)