Democratic Senators Hesitant to Endorse Harris for 2028 Presidential Run
As Kamala Harris keeps the door open for a 2028 presidential bid, several Democratic senators expressed uncertainty about endorsing her, anticipating a potentially contentious primary.
While former Vice President Kamala Harris has indicated she is considering a run for the White House in 2028, Democratic senators are not yet expressing full support, suggesting a potentially crowded and competitive primary contest.
Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut told Fox News Digital, "I've backed her before, but there'll be other contenders this time. I've made no decisions about who I would support." Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan characterized the potential race as "very, very, very messy and very big." She added, "It's going to be every Tom, Dick and Harry. And that's probably where it should be."
Harris herself has been actively campaigning and has not definitively ruled out a 2028 bid. When asked about a potential run while campaigning in Detroit, she stated she had not yet decided and emphasized the importance of focusing on the 2026 midterm elections, warning that "'28 won't matter' without success in 2026."
Senator Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland echoed this sentiment, saying, "We're focused on 2026. We're gonna win back the House and the Senate." She added, "I love Kamala Harris. I have a very personal friendship and relationship. She's amazing. I think anybody who wants to run should. She's obviously very well qualified. We need to focus on '26."
Senator Chris Coons of Delaware noted, "We've got a lot of people who are going to run and I think we should sort that out after the midterms." Similarly, Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts commented, "This is going to be a wide open primary, and again, that's democracy at its best. Everyone who wants to run should be able to run for office here."
Other potential contenders for the 2028 Democratic nomination include Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and California Governor Gavin Newsom. A July University of New Hampshire Granite State Poll indicated Ocasio-Cortez leading potential 2028 Democratic primary candidates in New Hampshire with 22% support among likely Democratic primary voters, while Harris received 5%. Neither Harris nor Ocasio-Cortez has officially announced a campaign for 2028.