President Donald Trump has dominated national politics for more than 11 years. Through Trump’s upset 2016 win and his two nonconsecutive terms, he has, for better or worse, transformed the tenor and complexion of American politics with a pugilistic, smash-mouth, attention-grabbing approach.But Trump’s run atop the U.S. political scene will end after the November 2028 election to succeed him. And the 2028 field is wide open for both the Democratic and Republican nominations.In the pre-Trump days, lists like this of presidential race prospects included candidate “lanes” among which to categorize favorites, longshots, and everything in between. That no longer applies. On the Democratic side, “fight” seems a key personality trait, combined with an increasingly left-wing ideological bent. At least a couple dozen Democrats are considering jumping in.
(Washington Examiner Illustration ; Getty Images)
Meanwhile, the GOP coalition’s post-Trump future is an open question. The race could mirror the Republican presidential contest of nearly 40 years ago. In the 1988 election cycle, when wonky but bland candidates like Rep. Jack Kemp of New York and former Delaware Gov. Pete du Pont came up far short against incumbent Vice President George H.W. Bush, the eventual GOP nominee and future president. Today, Vice President JD Vance can hope for that sort of scenario.So, at this point, roughly a year and a half before the first sets of primaries, caucuses, and other nominating contests, the fairest way to evaluate 2028 presidential candidates is alphabetically with a “28 for ‘28” list — in the spirit of ESPN’s 30 for 30 documentary series, which, starting in 2009, showcased 30 films created to commemorate the network’s 30th anniversary.One other note. These kinds of lists are by definition subjective. With a few obvious inclusions, it’s reasonable to argue for or against listing someone or omitting their name. If you disagree with this list’s would-be candidates roster, keep an eye out for many more after the Nov. 3 midterm elections, when the 2028 presidential race will get going in earnest.DEMOCRATS
