# 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:** 138
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2026, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2753 "2026-10-15T15:43:51Z")
If he was running I’d back abdul el-sayed. ---
**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 15, 2026, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2754 "2026-10-15T19:19:04Z")
I’m not sure AES would win Michigan. He’ll do fine next month in the general but dude won his primary by a point. For comparison Obama was 24 points up in the 2004 Illinois democratic primary compared to the next closest candidate, then he obliterated Allan Keyes (who admittedly had to come in late due to an unexpected death) by nearly 43 points. ---
**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 15, 2026, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2755 "2026-10-15T19:49:46Z")
> [@JDYanYan](#): > > he obliterated Allan Keyes (who admittedly had to come in late due to an unexpected death) This isn’t quite accurate; to clarify (off-topic, so in spoiler): Keyes was recruited by the Illinois GOP to run against Obama because the original nominee, Jack Ryan, was forced to withdraw after a sex scandal involving his former wife, actress Jeri Ryan, came to light. The GOP failed to find any other willing candidate in Illinois, so they had to drag the out-of-stater Keyes in. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2026, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2756 "2026-10-17T21:10:00Z")
I’m voting for El-Sayed for Senate but I fear anti-Muslim bigotry would doom a presidential bid. My choices in order: Mark Kelly, Pritzger, Beshear, Booker. I was higher on Newsome until I learned that he was married to Kim the Grifter in the past so based on personal judgement he’s disqualified in my book. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2026, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2757 "2026-10-17T21:53:58Z")
But isn’t the Newsom / Guilfoyle thing, like, eons enough in the past to no longer be all that relevant? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2026, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2758 "2026-10-17T22:06:51Z")
It’s relevant to his character. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2026, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2759 "2026-10-17T22:20:16Z")
Why? They were married for about five short years while he was mayor and she was an assistant district attorney. They were divorced 20 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2026, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2760 "2026-10-17T22:27:36Z")
If that’s the kind of person he marries, who will he appoint as Attorney General? ---
**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 17, 2026, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2761 "2026-10-17T22:28:59Z")
Yeah, i just learned of the connection here, in this thread, but i think it speaks poorly of him. Is it a deal breaker by itself? No, but it’s definitely a negative consideration. ---
**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 17, 2026, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2762 "2026-10-17T22:39:12Z")
Of the many reasons why one would choose to not support Newsom (@BobLibDem : note, no final “e” in his name), “his ex-wife from two decades ago turned out to be a piece of work” is an interesting choice. As noted, they got married 25 years ago, and divorced 20 years ago. It does appear to me that she has always been ambitious and politically striving, and that their marriage may have been more about being politically and mutually advantageous to both of them, than it was about love. But, it’s not clear to me that she was as much of a jerk (and [extremely and overtly sex-oriented](https://nypost.com/2026/10/15/us-news/kimberly-guilfoyle-shared-x-rated-photos-cavalierly-talked-about-sex-with-fox-news-friends-ex-host-claims/)) back then as she became after they divorced. In recent years, Newsom has said that [he thinks that she’s very different now from the person he had married](https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/kimberly-guilfoyles-ties-gavin-newsom-195232859.html), and blames her involvement with Fox News (and, I’m guessing, the Trump family) for transforming her. (FWIW, Guilfoyle replied that it was Newsom who had changed, falling prey to the “radical left.”) Was she always broken? Did becoming enmeshed in the Fox/Trump sphere break her? I’m not sure. ---
**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 18, 2026, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2763 "2026-10-18T02:44:45Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > My choices in order … I offer up a different game … of the long list of possible folk running pick the ones you’d be _least_ happy to be the candidate. My bottom two are Newsom and Harris. AOC might be close but I am open to being convinced as the process goes on. So given my keeping an open mind for her the next spot goes to Emmanuel. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2026, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2764 "2026-10-18T03:04:57Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > So given my keeping an open mind for her the next spot goes to Emmanuel. Rahm Emanuel? ---
**Author:** ![ZosterSandstorm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e0b2c6/32.png) [@ZosterSandstorm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZosterSandstorm)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2026, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2765 "2026-10-18T03:15:25Z")
Emanuel’s only advantage is banking on “wouldn’t it be nice to have Obama back” and his close association with that administration. He has huge negatives - a tenure as mayor of Chicago that was unpopular, a hostile relationship with the left even preceding the anti-Jewish turn, and no natural base like Ossoff to overcome the inherent difficulty of winning a Democratic nomination as a Jew in 2028. If there really is huge momentum for an Obama proxy, someone like Susan Rice, John Kerry, or Arne Duncan would have a better chance than Emanuel. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2026, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2766 "2026-10-18T03:19:27Z")
> [@ZosterSandstorm](#): > > If there really is huge momentum for an Obama proxy, someone like Susan Rice, John Kerry, or Arne Duncan would have a better chance than Emanuel. Susan Rice: Reputation ruined by her situational relationship with James Comey. John Kerry: At 82, too long in the tooth for the job. Arne Duncan: Who? (I know who he is, but I doubt many others do.) So I guess you’re saying that Emanuel has no chance at all. I agree with that. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2026, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2767 "2026-10-18T03:54:21Z")
> [@ZosterSandstorm](#): > > a tenure as mayor of Chicago that was unpopular While true I would expect most citizens would take Rahm back in a heartbeat if it meant getting rid of the current knucklehead. But yeah, he has no chance at all of getting anywhere near the Democratic nomination for President. ---
**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 18, 2026, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2768 "2026-10-18T04:07:08Z")
> [@ZosterSandstorm](#): > > He has huge negatives - a tenure as mayor of Chicago that was unpopular, a hostile relationship with the left even preceding the anti-Jewish turn, and no natural base like Ossoff to overcome the inherent difficulty of winning a Democratic nomination as a Jew in 2028. And, as noted when his name came up in this thread a few days ago: Emanuel and his administration handled the [killing of a black teenager](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Laquan_McDonald) by the Chicago Police Department very poorly; they refused to release dashcam footage of the shooting for over a year, and only did so when ordered to do so by the courts. Due to this, and other issues with CPD during his mayoral tenure, he would likely have very little support among black voters. ---
**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:** [October 18, 2026, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2769 "2026-10-18T04:45:01Z")
Pritzker is still my top choice, but he’s not on a lot of people’s radar right now because he’s coasting to reelection and isn’t getting the coverage that Ossoff and El-Sayed are. I suspect that once the midterms are over he’ll start making moves to start a campaign. ---
**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 18, 2026, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2770 "2026-10-18T10:51:53Z")
> [@ZosterSandstorm](#): > > … banking on “wouldn’t it be nice to have Obama back” … I saw a bumper sticker recently: > OBAMA > \*\* 2028 \*\* > Since rules don’t > matter anymore ---
**Author:** ![ZosterSandstorm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e0b2c6/32.png) [@ZosterSandstorm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZosterSandstorm)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2026, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2771 "2026-10-18T11:54:00Z")
It’s been an oft-stated truism ever since Trump started with the third term crap that if the term limits were abolished but elections were still counted fairly, we’d just have Obama as president for life. It’s probably a meaningful factor in why Trump is not seriously pushing that anymore. ---
**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 18, 2026, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2772 "2026-10-18T12:36:52Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Rahm Emanuel? Yes despite my extra “m” I’ve no “mmmm” for him as a candidate, and is on the list that will possibly be on the first debate stage. He’s damn smart, he has some decent ideas … and he is an asshole who would fail to unify any sort of coalition. So he gets right in line after Newsom and Harris on my “please no” list, His only imaginable path rests on his being an asshole and a real tough debater. That can get him a viral moment or two in the few moments he gets on debate stage. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036.md?page=137) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036.md?page=139)