Your 2028 Democratic Nominee

**Brian Lehrer** (0:09)
Brian Lehrer on WNYC. And yeah, now we'll end today's show for better or less 15 minutes with a very informal, unofficial, unscientific and very premature poll of 2028 Democratic presidential candidates for Democratic Senators, 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692 caller text. In fact, I don't even really want to call it a poll, as opposed to just your impressions of who you're interested in so far, if you're giving this any thought at all. I know people personally who are starting to have this conversation around the dinner tables already. It's worth noting that the 2028 primary season, even though this year's midterms are still going on, has begun in several ways. Maybe you've noticed wannabe nominees are pumping out their books, as happens at this point in the cycle, and hitting swing states to talk to voters in hopes of garnering attention before the contest inevitably begins in earnest after election day this year. So listeners, who are you interested in right now? Or beyond that, even if you had to decide today, and of course, nobody's on the ballot yet, nobody's officially running, so name any name you're interested in, who might be your pick? Or who do you find yourself with your interest peaked about to potentially leave the Democrats in 2028?
212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692, call or text, just to remind you of some of the big names that are out there. Governor Gavin Newsom, former Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, AOC. Maybe you want to look to a political outsider like Mark Cuban, or even John Stewart, people mention his name. I don't know if that's serious. Or maybe you want to give former Vice President Kamala Harris another shot. That's one of the reasons we're doing this, by the way. Maybe you saw the New York Magazine article by David Friedlander. The headline, Like it or not, Kamala Harris is the front runner. So name your names. Josh Shapiro, JB Pritzker, Cory Booker, Senator Mark Kelly. Who are you interested in as of now? Potentially, for Democratic nominee for president in 2028, our lines are lighting up. Obviously, you're thinking about this. You can also text 212-433-WNYC-212-433-9692.
I didn't even mention Rokana, who is probably in the A group, A list group there, 212-433-9692.
Stephen A. Smith, anyone? We'll see who you come with right after this.
Brian Lehrer on WNYC. I want to acknowledge some of the calls and texts coming in with names. I didn't even mention in the intro, this is how big the field is. Senator John Ossoff, Senator Chris Murphy, Gretchen Whitmer, and the one Marion Fairhaven is calling about. Marion, you're on WNYC. Hi.

**Marion** (3:36)
Hi there. Listen, I'm looking at Rahm Emanuel because he has such a depth of experience in Washington both inside the White House and outside the White House. Of course, he has a direct governing experience, having been the mayor of Chicago. That's no small task.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't he the ambassador to Japan at some point, or am I just flat out wrong with that one?

**Brian Lehrer** (4:03)
You know, I'm not sure I would actually have to look that up. I think Rahm Emanuel gets mentioned as part of the more moderate, quote unquote, group. Is that one of the things that draws you?

**Marion** (4:14)
Yes, absolutely. He's not hanging off the edge on either side. He brings, as I say, a depth of knowledge and experience, but he's kind of moderate centrist, and I like that.

**Brian Lehrer** (4:30)
Mary, thank you for starting us off. We're going to get you that answer on whether he was ambassador to Japan in just a second. Alan in Brooklyn has two more I didn't even mention in the intro. This is how big the field is. Alan, you're on WNYC. Hi.

**Alan** (4:45)
Good morning. As a Jew, I like a lot of the Jewish candidates. It's very competitive and confident, but I don't want to favor any of them this year, because I don't think the country in the wake of Trump and Luga is ready to make a record of electing its first Jew in 28
So I would rather see someone who's a solid centrist who will appeal to many independents. Someone like Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Sherrod Brown of Ohio. I don't think we can afford to have a repeat of the third or fourth minority candidate, a woman candidate on the ballot trying to make the record in a year when we're basically trying to save democracy. Let's not try to make any records this year. Let's just try to save the country.

**Brian Lehrer** (5:34)
Alan, thank you very much. Heidi and Hawthorne, you're on WNYC. Hi, Heidi.