Democratic presidential field?
No candidate has jumped in, but governors, senators and former contenders are already shaping the race.

Democrats’ 2028 field is sprawling and unsettled. (The Washington Post)
Here’s how the field is shaping up. (This is our third ranking so far. Our most recent ranking of potential Republican candidates is here.)
The standouts

Mark Kelly: The Arizona senator said he’d “seriously consider” running for president earlier this year after a judge blocked the Trump administration from punishing him over a video reminding service members they do not have to obey illegal orders. Kelly is a former astronaut (at a time when astronauts are cool again) and an astronomical fundraiser from a swing state whose wife, former congresswoman Gabby Giffords, was severely injured in a shooting more than a decade ago.
He has yet to be tested on the national stage; Vice President Kamala Harris considered Kelly for her running mate but didn’t ultimately choose him. “We’re in some seriously challenging times,” he told the BBC earlier this year.
Gavin Newsom: California’s Democratic governor is constantly online mocking President Donald Trump and has had some wins against the president too. He led a successful push to redraw California’s congressional map to counter Republicans’ redistricting effort.
He has a new book out and said he hopes to reshape his brand from a slick, liberal governor and cast himself as more of an everyday man. “I’ve become a caricature of myself and contributed to it,” he told the Atlantic earlier this year.
Josh Shapiro: The popular Pennsylvania governor is lesser known nationally but could have a big year. He’s up for re-election and is trying to help Democrats take back control of the House by helping his party win four of the most competitive races in the nation, which are in Pennsylvania.
“I think the best way to begin to climb out of this,” he said after the Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act, “is by changing the makeup of the Congress, ultimately then changing the makeup of who occupies the White House and beginning to pass some laws that actually respect all Americans instead of trying to tear down certain ones.”
Shapiro champions liberal causes and is on board with making the midterms about Trump. He also sometimes criticizes the most liberal wing of the party, especially on issues relating to Israel. (Shapiro is Jewish and talks extensively about his faith.) Utah’s conservative, Republican governor said Shapiro would make a good president.
The middle of the pack

Kamala Harris: The former vice president and presidential nominee has kept on the road with a book tour about her shot-out-of-a-cannon presidential campaign and was warmly received at an event this spring in New York City hosted by the Rev. Al Sharpton, to cheers of “Run again!” An NBC poll in February found Harris as the most well-liked among potential 2028 contenders, and she’s known as a good debater. But Democratic insiders don’t see her as a viable candidate, given she lost to Trump.
Pete Buttigieg: President Joe Biden’s transportation secretary is naturally talented: He’s frequently cited by Democrats as one of the party’s best messengers, a veteran and at 44 is one of the youngest potential candidates. But he hasn’t held office in years and thus doesn’t have a natural platform to communicate with voters. At Sharpton’s gathering this spring, Buttigieg accused the Trump administration of a “seek and destroy” effort to harm disadvantaged communities.
Gretchen Whitmer: The governor of Michigan is one of the few women on this list. Her overall popularity, ability to communicate plainly and perch from a swing state have long made her an attractive candidate. But this year marks her final and second term as governor, and she’s repeatedly indicated she’s not interested in running. Last week, Whitmer said she wasn’t running for president despite being considered a top potential candidate, then hours later walked that back: “Never say never,” she said.
