You can watch this episode of Right Now With Perry Bacon above or by following this show on YouTube or Substack. You can read a transcript here.
We are already in the midst of the 2028 Democratic primary fight. No one has formally declared their candidacy, but former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Representative Ro Khanna, and others are traveling around the country and being fairly overt about their aspirations. In the latest edition of Right Now, University of Denver political scientist Seth Masket and Mark Schmitt, director of the political reform program at New America, look at the strengths and weaknesses of the likely candidates. They specifically analyzed the potential campaigns of Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Khanna; Governors Andy Beshear, Wes Moore, Gavin Newsom, JB Pritzker, and Josh Shapiro; Senators Cory Booker, Ruben Gallego, and Mark Kelley; former Vice President Kamala Harris; and Buttigieg. Their big conclusion is that the 2028 race has no clear front-runner and is more wide open than the 2008, 2016, or 2020 primaries were. And they said there is plenty of room for someone not currently taking obvious steps for a 2028 run, such as Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff. Masket also discussed his new Substack newsletter on the 2028 race. His book on the 2024 GOP primary will be released next month.