Before they can run in 2028, numerous top Democrats will first face re-election in 2026. And for everyone, the midterms will serve as a new political proving ground.
As Democrats descend on party dinners in South Carolina and New Hampshire, fund-raise across the country and drop into podcasts or start their own, insider buzz about the 2028 shadow presidential primary is intensifying.
But several potential candidates have a more pressing item on their to-do lists: win re-election.
From Maryland and Pennsylvania to Minnesota and Illinois, a number of prominent Democrats are running for re-election in 2026 or are likely to seek another term, with some announcements expected as soon as this summer.
While the midterm elections will carry seismic implications for governing and test whether Democrats can reassert power, they will also go a long way toward shaping the party’s new-look leadership and its 2028 field.
The contests will give ambitious Democrats a major national platform, a chance to build momentum and stress-test their messaging, and an excuse to expand their fund-raising networks.
“The folks who can put that together in ’25 and ’26 will be viewed to be very viable when the cycle turns,” said Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey, who has twice led the Democratic Governors Association.
“One big risk is, you’ve got to govern every day,” he added. “The other risk is, politically, that you don’t do well.”
