Possible 2028 contenders are using the midterm trail in states with early presidential contests to build profiles and test support. Kamala Harris, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, JD Vance and Ted Cruz are in focus, though many have not decided whether to run.
The article frames the parties’ challenges differently: a Republican nominee will have to choose between extending MAGA and reviving traditional conservatism, while Democrats need a candidate able to unite progressives and moderates. It says polling shows voters remain sour on Democrats after Joe Biden’s presidency, despite the potential value of anti-Trump messaging in the midterms.
Harris appeared in Michigan to rally Democrats behind Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. Ocasio-Cortez told The New York Times she was weighing whether the political moment offered a rare opening and raised electability concerns as a woman and Latina. Other Democratic names include governors JB Pritzker, Andy Beshear and Josh Shapiro. Vance is widely seen as a Republican front-runner; Cruz says he wants to be president but has not made a final decision.