More than two dozen Democrats are considering runs for the White House in 2028, emboldened by their party's strong showing in this week's US midterm elections, according to the strategist who managed Barack Obama's re-election campaign.
Jim Messina, who led Obama's 2012 bid, told the BBC's Americast podcast that following major Democratic victories in congressional and state races, he has spoken with "over two dozen campaigns" that are actively weighing a 2028 run and have already started raising money and hiring staff.
"I think you're going to start having Democrats announce exploratory committees next week or the next couple of weeks, probably after Thanksgiving," Messina said, adding that he already knows of one person relocating to join a governor's presidential campaign.
Messina predicted the crowded field would narrow as candidates confront the pressure of raising the large sums needed to compete in the primary contests that will determine the party's nominee.
Offering a glimpse of his conversations with potential candidates, he said: "When I sit down with candidates or their campaigns, I say to them, 'Tell me your economic vision for the future of this country. What are you going to do on AI?'"
Another challenge looms over the race: outgoing president Donald Trump, who will remain in office during the campaign season. "And so, do the Democrats take the bait and talk about Donald Trump every day, or do you stay focused on your message?" Messina said. "It's going be the most interesting presidential [election] since 2008."
Messina, who later served as Obama's deputy chief of staff at the White House, credited the midterm success to the party's focus on the economy and the impact of Trump's tariffs, which he called "devastating to rural voters." "When you're a farmer and you're paying $7 for a gallon of diesel to put in your tractor, the economics just don't work, and at the same time you're paying more for everything," he said.
That economic message helped Democrats flip seats in traditionally Republican strongholds such as Iowa, Kansas and Texas, he said. "The common criticism of Democrats is that we can't stick to one message. And for the first time in a very long time, Democrats stuck to the economy. They didn't take the bait on the social wars," Messina said.
Still, he cautioned that the midterm results were not a ringing endorsement of the party, saying "the MVP of the election for the Democrats was Donald Trump." The harder task ahead, he added, will be uniting the party's progressive and centrist wings in Congress.
