Future Democratic bench?

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

What do you think the Democratic bench for President will be in the future?

I’m guessing…

2028-

Kamala Harris
Pete Buttigieg
Gretchen Whitmer
Gavin Newsom
Andy Beshear
Josh Shapiro
John Fetterman
Wes Moore
Raphael Warnock
Eric Adams (if he’s still mayor)

Beyond 2028 (excluding people who ran in 2028 and who might give it another go)-

Jon Ossoff
Angela Alsobrooks (assuming she wins next year)
Maura Healey (could possibly run in '28)
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (also a possible '28 contender)
Ruben Gallego (if he wins next year)
Jeff Jackson (if he’s Governor or a Senator)


Thoughts?

[progressive85]

I like the idea of President Josh Shapiro and Vice President Wes Moore.  Two governors (of course they have to be re-elected in 2026)

[Mister Mets]

It may be worth considering where Democratic benches were 5/ 9/ 13 years earlier.

Biden- In 2011 and 2015, he was incumbent Vice President.
In 2007, he was a second tier candidate for President with an impressive Senate career.

Sanders- He was an eccentric Senator before he ran for President.

Buttigieg- In 2015, he was Mayor of the fourth most populated city in Indiana.
In 2010, he got his ass kicked as the party's nominee for State Treasurer.
In 2007, he was promising McKinsey consultant.

Warren- In 2015, she was a prominent Senator.
In 2011, she started running for statewide office after it became clear she would not get senate confirmation as head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Klobuchar- She was a promising Senator (and former prosecutor)

Harris- In 2015, she was Attorney General of California and likely statewide officeholder.
In 2007, she was a promising San Francisco DA.

O'Rourke- In 2015, he was a promising congressman.
In 2011, he was a former member of the El Paso city council.

We could look at the bench in '08.

Barack Obama was a state senator five years earlier.
Hillary Clinton was a prominent senator five years earlier, and first lady before that.
John Edwards was a prominent senator running for President five years earlier, and a prominent lawyer before that.
Joe Biden was a prominent Senator with a reputation for not being an obvious choice for President.

One question is how much stock we put in the candidates who never got more than five percent. Are they part of the bench, or something else?

It seems likely there will be contenders in the next open Democratic primary that we don't know about yet, because they're in obscure office.

Other decisions may shape things. Whoever is the nominee for Vice President in 2028 might be part of the bench in 2032. Adams may have found a niche as a top moderate choice, but he's also under invesigation.