2028 United States presidential election

Presidential elections are scheduled to be held in the United States on November 7, 2028, to elect the president and vice president of the United States for a term of four years.
In the 2024 elections, the Republican Party gained a majority of seats in the House of Representatives and Senate. Incumbent president Donald Trump won a non-consecutive second term and is constitutionally barred from running for re-election again.
The Republican Party returned to power in the United States with a government trifecta in January 2025 following the 2024 election. Trump, who was elected president in 2016 but lost a re-election bid in 2020 to Joe Biden, and JD Vance, a then-senator from Ohio defeated vice president Kamala Harris, who began her campaign following Biden's exit from the 2024 election, and Minnesota governor Tim Walz. Trump's victory was credited to a post-pandemic surge in inflation, a migrant crisis at the U.S.–Mexico border, and a global anti-incumbent backlash. In addition, Republicans secured control of the Senate, flipping four seats and earning a three seat majority, while also retaining a House majority, though the party's majority narrowed to three seats after losing two seats.
The president and vice president of the United States are elected through the Electoral College, determined by the number of senators and representatives with an additional three representatives for Washington, D.C. A majority of 270 votes is needed to win the election. Forty-eight states use a winner-take-all system, in which states award all of their electors to the winner of the popular vote. In Maine and Nebraska, two votes are allocated to the winner of the popular vote, while each of the individual congressional districts have one vote. Electoral votes are certified by state electors in December and by Congress on January 6. Presidential candidates are selected in a presidential primary, conducted through primary elections run by state governments or caucuses run by state parties which bind convention delegates to candidates. A brokered convention occurs when a candidate does not receive a majority of votes on the first round of voting, or when a candidate withdraws.
Election Day in the United States has been held on the first Tuesday that falls after the first Monday in November. Previously, states could determine their own Election Day prior to the first Wednesday in December. The 2028 presidential election will occur on November 7, 2028.
The United States Constitution limits occupancy of the presidency to individuals who are at least thirty-five, who have been a resident in the United States for at least fourteen years, and who are a natural-born citizen. Section three of the Fourteenth Amendment prevents current and former federal, state, and military officials from holding office—including the presidency—if they have "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" against the United States; in March 2024, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Trump v. Anderson that former president Donald Trump could seek office after challenges to his ballot eligibility were raised by several state attorneys general. A convicted felon may serve as president. Elon Musk, who emerged as a political influencer in the 2024 presidential election, is ineligible to serve as president as he was born in South Africa and is a naturalized citizen.
Trump is ineligible to seek a third term, as the Twenty-Second Amendment forbids any person from being elected president more than twice. Nonetheless, he has repeatedly suggested running for a third term, an idea supported by several of his allies, including Steve Bannon. In January 2025, Tennessee representative Andy Ogles proposed a resolution to amend the Twenty-Second Amendment, allowing for presidents who have served two non-consecutive terms to seek a third term. The verbiage of the amendment would prevent living presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, all currently ineligible under the 22nd Amendment, from running for a third term. At CPAC 2025, conservative groups, such as the Third Term Project, supported the Ogles resolution and promoted the idea of Trump running for an as-yet unconstitutional third term. In response, New York Democratic representative Dan Goldman planned to introduce a resolution affirming the Twenty-Second Amendment.
Most U.S. states are usually not highly competitive in presidential elections, often voting consistently for the same party due to longstanding demographic and ideological differences. In the Electoral College, this results in major-party candidates primarily focusing their campaigns on swing states, which can swing between parties from election to election. These states are critical for a presidential candidate's path to victory. For 2028, the expected swing states likely include the Rust Belt states of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan and the Sun Belt states of Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and North Carolina, all of which were narrowly won by Trump in 2024.
States formerly considered swing states, such as Florida, Iowa, and Ohio, voted for Trump in all three of his previous election bids, as well as for the Republican Party's candidates in other state and federal elections, with increasing margins in each election. Former swing states that have voted for Democrats even in Republican national victories and have become blue states since 2008 include Colorado, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Virginia. Due to its recent record of voting Democratic even during Republican national wins, Nebraska's 2nd congressional district has been called "the Blue Dot".
Donald Trump, the current president of the United States, has been elected to two terms. Trump is constitutionally barred from being elected to a third term by the 22nd Amendment. He has nevertheless spoken about seeking a third term on several occasions, and has been encouraged by some conservatives to do so. Politico has suggested that Trump could try various untested legal theories and loopholes in order to run again, the outcome of which would ultimately hinge on the Supreme Court. In February 2025, according to journalist Maggie Haberman, Trump told advisors that discussions of a third term are intended to infuriate Democrats and garner attention. In March, however, Trump floated the possibility in an interview with NBC News. Trump said of a possible third term that "A lot of people want me to do it. But, I mean, I basically tell them we have a long way to go, you know, it’s very early in the administration. I'm focused on the current". He added that "there are methods" and that he was "not joking". He agreed that one method would be to have JD Vance run for president and then give the presidency back to him after the election, but said that there are other methods too.
Greg Abbott is an American politician, attorney, and jurist serving since 2015 as the 48th governor of Texas. He served from 2002 to 2015 as the 50th attorney general of Texas and from 1996 to 2001 as a justice of the Texas Supreme Court. Abbott is the longest-serving incumbent governor in the United States. Abbott is regarded as a strong Trump supporter, especially on immigration and securing the southern border. He has worked to strengthen his state's cooperation with the Trump administration on immigration issues. Abbott has been noted as a potential contender by The Dallas Morning News and The Houston Chronicle.
Steve Bannon is an American media executive, political strategist, and former investment banker. He served as the White House's chief strategist for the first seven months of U.S. president Donald Trump's first administration, before Trump discharged him. He is a former executive chairman of Breitbart News. Bannon wants to see president Donald Trump run again in 2028 and has already endorsed him. He has been mentioned as a potential 2028 presidential contender in The New York Times, and in an interview with Politico, in which Bannon did not deny the possibility should president Donald Trump not run for a third term. Bannon received 12% in the CPAC 2025 straw poll, coming second ahead of Ron DeSantis and Marco Rubio but far behind Vice President JD Vance (61%).
Ted Cruz has served as a U.S. senator from Texas since 2013. The runner-up to Donald Trump in the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries, Cruz has said that he expects to seek the presidency again at some point. The Texas Tribune posited following Cruz's reelection victory in November 2024 that he had kept his national ambitions alive, reporting that Brendan Steinhauser, an influential Texas GOP operative independent of Cruz's Senatorial campaign, argued that Cruz's comfortable win 'keeps him in the conversation nationally', and that Cruz could springboard his coalition in Texas into a formidable presidential campaign. He was also mentioned as a potential candidate by The Houston Chronicle.
Ron DeSantis has served as the governor of Florida since 2019 and previously ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. He has been considered a possible candidate by Politico, the Associated Press, and The Hill.
Nikki Haley was the runner-up in the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. She previously served as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations from 2017 to 2018, during the first Trump administration, and as the governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017. She has been considered a potential candidate by NBC News, Politico, and KSAZ-TV, and The Hill.
Brian Kemp has served as the governor of Georgia since 2019. Kemp opposed President Trump's claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election but was ultimately endorsed by Trump in Kemp's successful 2022 re-election campaign. Kemp has been mentioned as a potential candidate for federal office after being term-limited as governor, either for U.S. Senate in 2026 or for president in 2028.
Kristi Noem is the United States Secretary of Homeland Security and previously served as the governor of South Dakota from 2019 to 2025. She considered running for the president in 2024, but decided against pursuing the nomination. She has been mentioned as a possible candidate by Politico and The Hill.
Vivek Ramaswamy is a billionaire businessman and founder of Roivant Sciences. He previously ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. He has been mentioned as a possible contender by Politico, NBC News, and The Hill. However, he launched a bid for the 2026 Ohio gubernatorial election on February 24, 2025.
Marco Rubio is the United States Secretary of State and served as a U.S. senator from Florida from 2011 to 2025. Rubio sought the Republican nomination for president of the United States in 2016, losing to Donald Trump. Six former secretaries of state have been elected president of the United States, and Rubio has been mentioned as a potential candidate by Politico and The Hill.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders has served as the governor of Arkansas since 2023 and previously served as the 31st White House Press Secretary in the first Trump administration. She is the daughter of United States Ambassador to Israel-nominee and former Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee who ran in the 2008 and 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries. She has been noted as a possible contender by NBC News, KSAZ-TV, and Politico.
Tim Scott has served as a U.S. senator from South Carolina since 2013 and ran for the nomination in 2024. He previously served as U.S. representative from South Carolina's 1st congressional district from 2011 to 2013. Scott has been considered as a possible candidate for president in 2028 by Axios, NBC News, Politico, and the Asbury Park Press.
JD Vance has served as the vice president of the United States since 2025. He previously served as a U.S. senator from Ohio from 2023 to 2025. Vance is the front runner in the primary election, according to The Columbus Dispatch. The Hill stated that Vance's debate performance against Minnesota governor Tim Walz in October 2024 improved his status as a presidential contender. In a February 2025 interview, President Trump stated that he did not see Vance as his successor, stating "he's very capable" and "it's too early, we're just starting." At the 2025 Conservative Political Action Conference, Vance overwhelmingly won the annual presidential straw poll with 61% of attendees declaring their support.
Glenn Youngkin has served as the governor of Virginia since 2022, and is barred by the state's constitution from seeking a second consecutive term. He has been noted as a possible candidate by Politico, Axios, NBC News, and The Hill.
The following individuals stated that they would not run for president:
Jamie Raskin has served as the representative of Maryland's 8th Congressional District since 2017, and is a ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee. He also previously served as a state senator of Maryland's 20th legislative district. During a town hall in Cambridge, Maryland, an audience member asked him if he would consider running in for president in the next election, to which Raskin said he would do "whatever it takes to save our democracy." He has also been considered a potential candidate by The Advocate and The Nation.
Tim Walz has served as the governor of Minnesota since 2019, and served as Kamala Harris's running mate in 2024. Walz is considered a prospective candidate, with Politico discussing Walz as a possible contender in November 2024, quoting an anonymous Harris staffer as saying, "When Democrats start talking about 2028, six months ago, Walz's name wouldn't have been on the list, now it might be on the top." In January 2025, The Advocate described him as 'an appealing candidate', crediting his ability to connect with rural and urban voters alike, as well as his experience governing a politically diverse state, and was listed as a potential 2028 candidate by The Washington Post that same month.
He indicated in a March interview with The New Yorker that he was interested in running for president in 2028 and criticized his and Harris's 2024 campaign that same month, saying that "We (the campaign) shouldn’t have been playing this thing so safe," and reiterated that he was interested in running in 2028.
Andy Beshear has served as the governor of Kentucky since 2019. He was previously on the shortlist to be the vice presidential nominee for the 2024 election, and was seen as a potential replacement for President Joe Biden before he withdrew from the race. In October 2024, Beshear headlined an event for the New Hampshire Democrats, a key early primary state, where he promoted both himself and Vice President Kamala Harris to attendees, signaling his future aspirations. Beshear was the most popular Democratic governor in the United States per Morning Consult, fueling speculation that he may run for president. In response to ongoing speculation about his political ambitions, Beshear has stated in an interview with WDKY-TV that he will "see what the future holds", without explicitly ruling out a potential presidential run.
Cory Booker has served as a U.S. senator from New Jersey since 2013 and ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. He previously served as mayor of Newark, New Jersey from 2006 to 2013. Booker has been mentioned as a possible candidate for president in 2028 by The Hill, Politico, and NBC News. On April 1, 2025, Booker broke the record for the longest Senate floor speech in protest against Donald Trump and Elon Musk, which GOP pollster Frank Luntz remarked positioned him as a party leader in the coming future.
Pete Buttigieg served as the United States Secretary of Transportation from 2021 to 2025. Prior to becoming Secretary of Transportation, he served as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, from January 1, 2012, to January 1, 2020, and launched a 2020 presidential campaign. Buttigieg was also a contender to be Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate after she secured the Democratic nomination for president. U.S. News reports that Buttigieg is seen as the party's top 'communicator' appearing on conservative television defending the Biden administration's policies. This report also hinted that Buttigieg might also run for governor of Michigan in 2026 to replace term-limited governor Gretchen Whitmer. After Buttigieg's radio talk show appearances in New Hampshire and Cleveland to address infrastructure plans for the future, there has been speculation that Buttigieg might be making early campaign stops for the governor race in Michigan as well as the presidential election. Buttigieg confirmed in February 2025 that he was considering a Senate run after dismissing a run for governor. NBC News reported in March that he did not intend to run for Senate, setting up a potential presidential bid.
Roy Cooper served as the governor of North Carolina from 2017 to 2025. He was considered a potential contender to be the vice presidential nominee for the 2024 election but removed himself from consideration. Politico has also referred to Cooper as a potential contender for the 2028 Democratic Party's presidential nomination. In an interview with The New York Times in December 2024, Cooper stated that "everything is on the table" and that he was interested in running for public office again.
Andrew Cuomo served as the governor of New York from 2011 until his resignation due to numerous sexual assault allegations in 2021, and the 64th attorney general of New York from 2007 to 2010. He is a candidate in the 2025 New York City mayoral election. He has been mentioned as a potential 2028 presidential candidate in The Hill, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.
Rahm Emanuel is an American politician and diplomat who most recently served as United States ambassador to Japan from 2022 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented Illinois in the United States House of Representatives for three terms from 2003 to 2009. He was the White House Chief of Staff from 2009 to 2010 under President Barack Obama and served as mayor of Chicago from 2011 to 2019. There has speculation by Politico and the Chicago Sun-Times that he may run for president in 2028. In March 2025, Jonathan Martin of Politico posited that Emanuel is preparing for a presidential campaign.
Ruben Gallego has served as a U.S. senator from Arizona since 2025. He also previously served as U.S. representative from Arizona's 3rd congressional district from 2015 until 2025. Gallego was listed as a potential candidate by both Politico, NBC News, and The Advocate as he was the only battleground state Democratic Senate candidate that outpaced Harris in vote share by more than half of a percentage point and performed particularly well with Latino men, a key demographic that Democrats struggled with in 2024. The New York Times called him a good candidate who could win over working-class voters.
Kamala Harris served as the vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. She became the nominee for president in the 2024 presidential election after President Joe Biden withdrew his bid, losing to Donald Trump. Harris, who has the largest donor network in the Democratic Party, may run for the presidency again in 2028 according to The New York Times, as well as Politico and The Guardian, although her loss in the previous election could potentially give her a disadvantage. According to USA Today, Harris intended to run in 2028 before Biden's withdrawal. Politico has reported that Harris is considering running for president in 2028 or for governor of California in 2026.
Ro Khanna has served as the representative of California's 17th congressional district since 2017. Khanna has shown interest in running to be the "president on his vision" of Progressive Capitalism at some point and is known as the representative of Silicon Valley in Congress. He served as the co-chair of Bernie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign. He has been described as a progressive but ideologically to the right of democratic socialists like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Khanna has been proposed as a potential 2028 candidate by multiple news outlets, including The New Yorker, The Hill, Politico, and NBC News.
Amy Klobuchar has served as a U.S. senator from Minnesota since 2007. A candidate in the 2020 Democratic primaries, NBC News speculated in November 2024 that she may consider another run in 2028. Politico also listed Klobuchar as a potential candidate in December 2024.
Wes Moore has served as governor of Maryland since 2023. Moore has been mentioned as a potential candidate for president in 2028 by The Washington Post and The New York Times. In March 2025, he didn't rule out a run for president when asked in an interview on CNN by Dana Bash.
Chris Murphy has served as a U.S. senator from Connecticut since 2013. The Democratic senator has been one of the most prominent opponents of President Trump's agenda since the 2024 presidential election. He has focused on and expressed alarm over what he says is the erosion of American democracy and government corruption. NBC News, The Guardian, and The Hill have proposed Murphy as a potential candidate.
Gavin Newsom has served as the governor of California since 2019. Newsom has been viewed as a contender for the 2028 presidential election by The Orange County Register, The New York Times, Politico, and The Washington Post after he garnered national attention by December 2023, and he was seen as a potential replacement for Biden after his withdrawal from the 2024 election by The New York Times. According to The New York Times, Newsom was considering a bid for the presidency by September 2023.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has served as the representative of New York's 14th congressional district since 2019. Ocasio-Cortez has been proposed as a potential candidate by many sources. Politico noted that Ocasio-Cortez "has a prominent following from younger, diverse people". According to Politico, there is speculation among media outlets that Ocasio-Cortez could be a potential candidate for president in 2028. Pundits for NY1 proposed Ocasio-Cortez would be a "formidable contender" if she decided to make a run for the White House. Monica Crowley said Ocasio-Cortez enjoyed "real grassroots support" due to her prominence on social media, while Slate's Ben Mathis-Lilley wrote in November 2024 that Ocasio-Cortez "might already have an opening to be the front-runner for the 2028 nomination". The Hill noted that she had moderated her stances during the presidency of Joe Biden, taking a more centrist approach compared to Sanders. Vanity Fair has reported that Ocasio-Cortez is reluctant to launch a presidential campaign and also noted that some have called for her to primary Chuck Schumer in the 2028 New York Senate elections.
Jon Ossoff has served as a U.S senator from Georgia since 2021. In November 2024, NBC News mentioned him, as well as junior senator Raphael Warnock, as potential contenders for 2028, noting that the two could underscore their ability to succeed electorally in a state thought to be tough for Democrats. In January 2025, The Advocate referred to Ossoff as a potential candidate who could mobilize young and diverse voters in addition to his media savviness and focus on key issues.
Dean Phillips served as the representative of Minnesota's 3rd congressional district from 2019 to 2025. Phillips ran a campaign against Biden in the 2024 Democratic presidential primaries. Phillips received the second-highest number of delegates to the 2024 Democratic National Convention of any candidate in the primaries. In an interview with CBS Minnesota, Phillips was asked about his future political aspirations. He ruled out a bid for the U.S. Senate or the governor's office in 2026 but said, "never say never" regarding another presidential campaign in 2028. HuffPost reported that after the election, Phillips said of his White House bid, “I would do it a thousand times again.” The Minnesota Star Tribune reported that Phillips is not sure what he’ll do after departing Washington in January but did not rule out another presidential bid when telling constituents at the Ridgedale Library in Minnetonka that although he has no plans to aim for either Minnesota’s governorship or the U.S. Senate, he does not intend to go away. Phillips has also been suggested as a potential third party or independent candidate, and has personally advocated for the establishment of a center-left third party.
JB Pritzker has served as the governor of Illinois since 2019. Pritzker is a potential Democratic contender, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, Bloomberg News, and Politico. In 2023, Pritzker declined to speak directly with representative Dean Phillips regarding his effort to try to convince him to enter the Democratic Party presidential primary race to oppose Biden.
Josh Shapiro has served as the governor of Pennsylvania since 2023. Shapiro has been seen as a critical figure in Pennsylvania by Democratic strategists, according to Politico, and as a politician who could garner votes from white working-class voters, according to CNN. He was said to be a front-runner in the primary by The Philadelphia Inquirer, and discussed a presidential bid with Bill Maher.
Josh Stein has served as the governor of North Carolina since 2025. He previously served as attorney general of North Carolina from 2017 until 2025. Stein has been mentioned as a potential candidate for president in 2028 by The Washington Post and The New York Times.
Gretchen Whitmer has served as the governor of Michigan since 2019. Whitmer has been considered a potential presidential candidate. According to The New York Times, she is among the "most in-demand Democrats in the battleground states". In an interview on The View in January 2025, Whitmer stated that she "wanted to walk the Earth" after serving her second term.
The following individuals stated that they would not run for president:
Dean Phillips served as the representative of Minnesota's 3rd congressional district from 2019 to 2025. Phillips ran a campaign against Biden in the 2024 Democratic presidential primaries. Phillips received the second-highest number of delegates to the 2024 Democratic National Convention of any candidate in the primaries. In an interview with CBS Minnesota, Phillips was asked about his future political aspirations. He ruled out a bid for the U.S. Senate or the governor's office in 2026 but said, "never say never" regarding another presidential campaign in 2028. HuffPost reported that after the election, Phillips said of his White House bid, “I would do it a thousand times again.” The Minnesota Star Tribune reported that Phillips is not sure what he’ll do after departing Washington in January but did not rule out another presidential bid when telling constituents at the Ridgedale Library in Minnetonka that although he has no plans to aim for either Minnesota’s governorship or the U.S. Senate, he does not intend to go away. Phillips has also been suggested as a potential third party or independent candidate, and has personally advocated for the establishment of a center-left third party.
The following individuals stated that they would not run for president: