My timeline
BushKerry04:
So this timeline is going to be a bit different than others. I am going to do a timeline as if I am running for President. Some names you'll recognize, and others (including mine) are made up. This could read like a novel, and I plan on taking my time with this so sorry in advance for that. Enjoy!
My background
My name is Peter Cohen, and I am preparing to seek the 2040 Democratic nomination for President. I was born on March 5, 1989, to Joel and Barbara Cohen. My mother spent 30 years as a public school teacher, and my father served as Vice President for Operations for my family’s commercial insurance brokerage before his retirement. The company was started by by paternal Grandfather and a business partner at a storefront in Westchester, Pennsylvania in 1950. Today, the firm employs 545 people in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. I grew up in Westchester and went on to earn a B.A. in Marketing from Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 2011, I joined my family’s business as a Marketing Associate before being promoted to Regional Director of Marketing & Sales in 2015 and Assistant Vice President for Marketing & Sales Operations in 2020. In 2019, I married Rachel Green, a Professor of Economics at West Chester University. Originally from Lansing, Michigan, Rachel graduated with a B.A. in economics from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D in economics from the University of Delaware. She moved to West Chester in 2017, and we met at a Democratic Party event in 2018. Together, we purchased a modest 1,800-square-foot home for $385,000 about a mile from my childhood home in West Chester. I also got involved in politics, serving on the board of my local Democratic Party organization. I then served two terms on the Chester County Board of Commissioners, where I championed conservation, infrastructure improvements, and holding the line on taxes. In 2024, I won the election to the Pennsylvania State Senate. There, I was a strong ally of Governor Josh Shapiro and championed tax incentives for job creation, green energy, and pro-choice judicial nominations. In January 2029, Senator Bob Casey Jr. resigned his senate seat to become Secretary of Energy in the administration of President Gretchen Whitmer. Governor Shapiro appointed a placeholder interim Senator, and I was urged by moderates in the Democratic Party to run in the special election for U.S. Senate. I declared my candidacy, won 35% of the primary vote in a nine-candidate field, and was elected in November 2029 by a 52%-47% margin over my Republican opponent. The following year, I was unopposed in the Democratic primary. In the general election, I won a full term by a 54%-44% margin. Six years later, I won re-election to the Senate by a 57%-42% margin, even as Republican JD Vance carried Pennsylvania by 15,000 votes in the presidential race. In the Senate, I became one of President Whitmer’s strongest allies, and sponsored many of the administration’s priorities including an economic package that tripled the earned income tax credit, established a new manufacturing jobs credit, expanded existing green energy tax credits while creating new ones, made record investments in economic development grants & job training, reauthorized and expanded funding for infrastructure projects, and the Paycheck Fairness Act. I also worked with the administration and my colleagues to codify a woman’s right to choose into federal law and expand Medicaid. During the administration of President JD Vance, I became a leading opponent of the President’s economic and enviornmental agendas, though I did work with the administration and Republicans on criminal justice reforms and increased funding for local law enforcement. I won a reputation as a moderate who could work with Republicans on some issues while being unmovable on civil rights, privacy, equal pay, the environment, and funding for infrastructure. I also took on the left wing of my own party at times, particularly on federal spending. Most observers describe me as a fiscally centrist social progressive.
BushKerry04:
2024-2036 election results
2024:
Joe Biden/Kamala Harris (D) 51%
Donald Trump/Elise Stefanik (R) 46%
Other 3%
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2028:
Gretchen Whitmer/Susan Rice (D) 53%
Katie Britt/JD Vance (R) 46%
Other 2%
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2032:
Gretchen Whitmer/Susan Rice (D) 54%
Greg Gianforte/Eric Schmitt (R) 44%
Other 2%
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2036:
Andy Beshear/Kirsten Gillibrand (D) 50%
JD Vance/Ted Cruz (R) 49%
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BushKerry04:
Testing the waters
In all honesty, I never thought I would run for President. It was never an ambition of mine. I was prepared to support former Vice President Susan Rice or Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) for President, but by the summer of 2038 both announced they would not be candidates. In July 2038, several prominent Democrats in Washington D.C. looking for a strong general election candidate asked me if I would consider a presidential bid. After getting approval from my wife and our families, I decided to test the waters. I campaigned for Democrats in a dozen states in the 2038 midterms, and tested a fiscally moderate, socially progressive message. I also met with Democratic leaders in three early primary states: South Carolina, Michigan, and New Hampshire. In the fall of 2038, I met with donors and potential staff. In the election of 2038, Democrats won back control of the U.S. Senate two years after losing control, and they made gains in the house. In October, Democratic donors, including those who had supported my campaigns as well as President Whitmer’s campaigns in 2028 and 2032, formed a Political Action Commitee, Unite America Now, in support of my potential candidacy. One thing the Pac did was to conduct polling. As expected, I was not the front-runner for the nomination and my name I.D. was the fourth highest of the dozen candidates polled. What the poll did find, however, was that I polled best against President Vance. Over Thanksgiving, Rachel and I decided I’d run for President.
BushKerry04:
My team
By January 2039, I had a staff in place for my presidential campaign. My core team consists of:
Wife: Rachel Cohen
Hometown: Lansing, MI
Education: B.A., University of Michigan ‘10; PhD., University of Delaware ‘15
Prior Experience: Economics Professor, Westchester State University (2016-present); Campaign Manager, Petruccelli for Council (2015); President, Progressive Economic Policy Forum (2030-present)
Campaign Manager: Ying Lee
Hometown: Ann Arbor, MI
Education: B.A., University of Michigan ‘08; J.D., University of Michigan ‘11
Prior Experience: Campaign Associate, Progressive Strategy Group (2011-2015); Executive Director, Progress for Michigan PAC (2015-2024); Deputy Campaign Manager, Hillary Scholten for Congress (2024); Campaign Manager, Mikie Sherrill for Governor (2025); Campaign Manager, Josh Shapiro for Governor (2026); Political Director, Gretchen Whitmer for President (2027-2028); Deputy Director, White House Office of Political Affairs (2029-2031); Deputy Campaign Manager, Gretchen Whitmer for President (2031-2032); Issues Director, Democratic National Committee (2033-2038).
Communications Director: Amelia Rodriguez
Hometown: Maytown, PA
Education: B.A., Franklin and Marshall College ‘11
Prior Experience: Marketing Associate, Cohen Insurance, Inc. (2011-2014); Sales Executive, Cohen Insurance, Inc. (2014-2029); Communications Director, Cohen for U.S. Senate (2029-2031); Communications Director, Senator Peter Cohen (2031-2033); District Director, Senator Peter Cohen (2033-2038).
Senior Adviser: Meghan Mitchell
Hometown: Gaffney, SC
Education: B.A., University of North Carolina - Charlotte ‘00; PhD., Georgetown University ‘05
Prior Experience: Professor of Political Science, Franklin & Marshall College (2005-2025); Chief Pollster, Democratic Victory Strategy Group (2025-2027); Vice President, Smart Strategic Consulting (2027-2031); Deputy Director of Communications, Whitmer for President (2031-2032); Director of Government Affairs, Lenox Energy (2033-2038).
Deputy Campaign Manager: Amir Gaines
Hometown: Dublin, OH
Education: B.A., Princeton University ‘10; J.D., University of Colorado ‘12
Prior Experience: Public Defender, Denver County (2012-2016); Attorney, Gaines, Esq. (2016-2025); Political Director, Colorado Democratic Party (2026-2027); Colorado Field Coordinator, Whitmer for President (2028); Executive Director, Colorado Democratic Party (2029-2031); Southwest Field Director, Whitmer for President (2031-2032); Campaign Director, ACLU of Ohio (2033-2038).
Chief of Staff: Nicole Giordano
Hometown: West Chester, PA
Education: American University ‘20
Prior Experience: Research Assistant, House Democratic Caucus (2020-2024); Legislative Aide, Congresswoman Haley Stevens (2025-2028), Deputy Chief of Staff, Senator Peter Cohen (2029-2034), Chief of Staff, Senator Peter Cohen (2034-2038).
Political Director: Claire O’Rourke
Hometown: Tucker, GA
Education: B.A., Duke University ‘28
Prior Experience: Campaign Coordinator, Peter Cohen for U.S. Senate (2029-2031); Legislative Aide, Senator Peter Cohen (2032-2035); Field Director, Andy Beshear for President (2035-2036); Deputy Chief of Staff, Senator Peter Cohen (2037-2038).
National Press Secretary: Navi Patel
Hometown: Kennett Square, PA
Education: B.A., Harvard University ‘10
Prior Experience: Communications Coordinator, Nielsen (2010-2014); Communications Director, Innovative Political Consulting (2015-2025); Media Strategist, Pennsylvania Democratic Party (2026-2031); Communications Director, Senator Peter Cohen (2032-2038).
Senior Spokesperson: Clark Stevens
Hometown: Milton, WI
Education: University of Chicago ‘14
Prior Experience: Media Associate, Sprint Communications (2014-2018); CEO, Stevens Communications (2019-2029); Director of Media Relations, Illinois Democratic Party (2030-2038).
Pollster: Nancy Rubenstein
Hometown: Jersey City, NJ
Education: B.A., Columbia University ‘20; J.D., Rutgers University ‘22
Prior Experience: Research Assistant, Peak Research Associates (2022-2024); Survey Coordinator, Peak Research Associates (2024-2027); CEO, Rubenstein Research (2027-present).
BushKerry04:
March 15, 2039: My announcement:
Joined on stage by my wife and parents as well as several elected officials, I declared my candidacy for President during a speech at Westchester University in my hometown of Westchester, Pennsylvania:
“Thank you, Rachel, for that wonderful introduction, I am honored and humbled to have your love and support, I love you. And I want to thank my parents for providing me with the guidance and values that have served me well throughout my life and helped me get to this moment. I want to thank all of the elected officials here today, thank you for your support and mentorship. I also want to thank longtime friends, supporters, and my Senate staff for being here today and for your inspiration, hard work, and energy. Friends, I am the proud product of West Chester, Pennsylvania. I was raised here, worked here, and this is where my journey in public service began, on the county Board of Commissioners and later, the legislature. This community is welcoming, diverse, and a place where neighbors look out for each other. It was here where I learned the importance of community, volunteerism, friendship, and integrity. It was in this very spot a decade ago that I stood before you and declared my intention to run for the U.S. Senate. In that campaign, I was honored and humbled to have the support of you all here today, in addition to hard working women and men across Pennsylvania. In what was considered an uphill climb, we won. And here, in this diverse, perennial swing state, we won twice more. You see, Pennsylvania is a microcosm of America as a whole. This is the state where our democracy was formed. We have farms, factories, corporate headquarters, union halls, small towns, large cities, suburban communities, and people of all races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, and political persuasions. Representing you in the United States Senate, listening to you, and being your voice and vote in Washington, has been a rewarding experience that I hope I’ve been worthy of. I’m proud of the work we’ve done to benefit Pennsylvania and the nation. Tax cuts for working Americans, new investments in clean energy, promoting economic development, and codifying a woman’s right to choose. Just four years ago, thanks to Democratic policies, unemployment was at a record low, we had the first budget surpluses in over three decades, the gender and racial pay gaps began to shrink, millions of Americans went from relying on food stamps to securing good paying jobs, and more people enrolled in higher education and vocational school than ever before. Today, because of the out of touch priorities and trickle down economic policies of this administration, our economy has entered a period of uncertainty. Unemployment, the budget deficit, and the cost of health insurance, clothing, and even food are up. Wages are stagnant. And business formation is down. All the while, this administration has gutted environmental protections, opposed expanding the school lunch program, frozen access to health insurance, and returned to the failed policies of the past on immigration. Faced with these realities, over the past several months, I have considered the possibility of seeking the Democratic nomination for President. And I’ve decided that after four years of a President who has led us down a path of deficits, deceit, and economic decline, we need leadership focused on helping us achieve our highest ideals so we can once again reach our full potential as a nation. So today, grateful for all this nation has provided me, well aware of the challenges we face, unyielding in my love of country, and with a desire to usher in a new era of freedom and equality in America, I am announcing my candidacy for President of the United States. It’s important for Americans to understand the vision and values of those who seek the highest office in the land and in the coming months, I’ll put forward detailed policy proposals as I travel the country and listen to folks. But I can tell you this, I know exactly where I want to lead this nation. I seek a day when the economy grows for every American, where communities that have been left behind for far too long prosper once again, and where we produce more here in America because of our world-class infrastructure, educated and diverse workforce, financially sound safety net, and commitment to fiscal responsibility. I seek a day when our society moves forward in addressing the injustices of the past, whether it be inequality of job opportunity, pay, entrepreneurship, housing, education, health care, criminal justice, or access to clean air and water. I seek a day when our society enjoys greater freedom, whether that’s the ability of workers to keep more of what they earn, people to feel secure in their communities, or defending a woman’s right to choose, voting righths, civil rights, and the rights of our LGBT brothers and sisters. So I ask you to join this movement to win, lead, govern, and move in a freer and more equitable direction. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America”
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