Democrats are scrambling for a brand new chief to go the occasion and set up resistance to President-elect Trump following Vice President Harris’s loss within the election final month.
A number of high names have been floated as potential contenders for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, or to a minimum of function a brand new generational voice to steer Democrats going ahead. A few of these embrace Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
However with that position seemingly huge open, the subsequent nationwide Democratic chief may very well be somebody extra underneath the radar.
Listed below are seven potential future Democratic leaders to observe:
Chris Murphy
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) has been an everyday presence within the Senate Democratic Caucus for greater than a decade, however he has grow to be extra distinguished in pushing for the occasion to take a brand new route following the election.
He declared a couple of days after Trump received that Democrats have to broaden their tent to win again working-class voters that they’ve misplaced and embrace financial populism as their “tent pole.” He circulated these concepts extra immediately in a memo to Democrats a pair weeks later.
These arguments come as populist fervor has more and more performed a task in political discourse throughout the Trump period on either side of the aisle. Murphy has continued to push again on the incoming Trump administration, questioning why Democrats are viewing the president-elect’s Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE) as “legitimate” and expressing concern concerning the incoming president’s impression on the media and free press.
Murphy has additionally been one of many high voices on gun management following the Sandy Hook, Conn., capturing, serving as a negotiator for the bipartisan gun management regulation in 2022.
Cory Booker
The primary Black senator from New Jersey, Sen. Cory Booker (D) has been a gradual presence inside the Democratic caucus and is about to grow to be one in all its high leaders.
Booker’s Democratic colleagues chosen him earlier this month to grow to be the chair of the newly created Strategic Communications Committee. That may make him the fourth highest-ranking Democrat within the higher chamber after Senate Democratic Chief Charles Schumer (N.Y.), Whip Dick Durbin (In poor health.) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.).
Booker already acquired some nationwide consideration for his 2020 presidential run and is seen as a potential candidate for 2028.
Now, his place main the brand new committee will put him on the forefront of messaging from Senate Democrats. Booker stated in a launch that he plans to make use of “creative” messaging and new applied sciences and platforms to “speak directly to the American people.”
Ro Khanna
With growing old leaders in Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), the progressive wing of the Democratic Social gathering additionally appears to have a high emptiness to fill.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) could be a a lot youthful alternative who has demonstrated progressive bona fides. He served as co-chair of Sanders’s 2020 presidential marketing campaign and has labored with him on quite a few items of laws in Congress.
He has vowed to not take cash from political motion committees and known as for ending the affect of cash on politics, advocated for antitrust coverage and crafted considerably of his personal lane in calling for Democrats to embrace technological developments and work with Silicon Valley, which is included in his Home district.
Khanna has at instances been the topic of hypothesis over his potential presidential ambitions. He was a surrogate for Biden and campaigned for his write-in marketing campaign in New Hampshire, a key early state within the nominating cycle, forward of the first this 12 months.
Ritchie Torres
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) was first elected to Congress in 2020, with observers seeing him as a possible addition to the progressive wing of the occasion. However over the previous 12 months particularly he has distanced himself from the far left and pushed for the occasion to take a extra average method.
Torres has been sharply crucial of the progressive wing following the election, blaming it partially for Harris’s defeat, as he has grow to be a extra distinguished voice for many who consider the occasion should average to repair its electoral points.
He argued that Trump “has no greater friend than the far left,” which he stated is extra consultant of social media than the “real world.”
He additionally seems poised to make a run in 2024 for New York governor as he has been equally crucial of Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), saying she is “in denial about the depths of her vulnerabilities as a Democratic nominee,” evaluating her to Biden this 12 months. If profitable, turning into the governor of one of many largest Democratic bastions within the nation would definitely put him on the map.
Jared Polis
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) made historical past in 2018 as the primary brazenly homosexual man elected governor of a state, however he has acquired contemporary consideration following the election for his preparation for a second Trump time period.
He has taken steps towards collaboration throughout the spectrum, relatively than resistance, whereas nonetheless advocating for shielding democracy, a priority amongst many Trump critics. Polis and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) launched a nonpartisan state-level initiative final month known as Governors Safeguarding Democracy to spice up collaboration amongst governors to struggle towards threats to democracy and defend democratic establishments.
Polis acquired some criticism for his fast reward of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to steer the Well being and Human Companies Division however harassed protecting an open thoughts, seeing him as a potential enchancment to Trump’s first-term alternative, Alex Azar.
In the meantime on coverage, Polis has been a little bit of a maverick, opposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates and owing his success as a two-term governor to slicing taxes, amongst different financial initiatives. Polis even acquired reward from Vivek Ramaswamy, who is about to co-lead DOGE, for slashing rules.
Andy Beshear
A red-state Democratic governor, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear was already seen as a rising star within the occasion after his reelection in 2023.
However his inventory rose even increased in 2024 as he was on the brief record to function Harris’s working mate after she turned the presumptive Democratic nominee. With Harris’s loss and Beshear term-limited in 2027, the Kentucky governor might grow to be one of many high future leaders of the occasion.
Within the aftermath of the election, Beshear has additionally sought to mildew what the long run occasion appears to be like like, writing an op-ed in The New York Occasions. He stated he wouldn’t “play the blame game” however known as on Democrats to deal with “core issues” like jobs, housing and well being care.
Beshear pointed to his personal reelection victory as a street map for Democrats, arguing he received as a result of his constituents know he cares about them and has produced “tangible” outcomes.
He’s additionally set to function chair of the Democratic Governors Affiliation in 2026, having been elected vice chair for subsequent 12 months.
Wes Moore
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) solely sought political workplace for the primary time in 2022 for his profitable gubernatorial run, however his title has more and more been floated when analysts take a look at the way forward for the occasion.
Moore was speculated as a potential working mate for Harris till he stated he wasn’t within the position. However he has nonetheless been included on lists of potential 2028 candidates.
He gained nationwide consideration following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore in March and for pardoning greater than 175,000 marijuana convictions in Maryland in June.
Together with Moore’s army background, former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown (D) has stated Moore may very well be “next” after Harris “if he plays it right.”
