IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2 August 2025WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUNDToday’s Events in Historical PerspectiveAmerica’s Longest-Running Column Founded 19322028 may be all about KentuckyBy Douglas Cohn and Eleanor Clift WASHINGTON – Democratic heavyweights are lining up for the 2028 presidential race, and one Kentuckian may be about to emerge from the pack.Meanwhile, after weighing her options, former senator and presidential nominee Kamala Harris said she would not run for governor of California, leaving the door open for another presidential run.She would be one in a growing field of candidates as Democrats grapple over their party’s catastrophic loss last year to Donald Trump.Harris joined the race after President Biden was forced to withdraw, and Democrats are divided over whether she ever had a real chance to win – or that she blew it by failing to distance herself from the unpopular president and her past liberal positions.She will have to fight it out among at least a half-dozen others, beginning with her longtime friend and California colleague, Governor Gavin Newsom. Odds do not favor her.Newsom has lots of political baggage as someone who has been in the public eye for decades, since he was elected mayor of San Francisco and marrying same-sex couples before the Supreme Court made it legal. He has lately toned down his liberal politics by appearing with far-right personalities on podcasts and debating his Republican counterparts on Fox News.He gets an A for effort, and who knows whether his style will be in or out by 2028. But his popularity in California is waning, a likely precursor to his national standing.Several other governors are likely candidates, includin Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, who is wildly popular for her directness with the voters. “Fix the damn streets,” is how she got elected in the first place. She is term-limited and perfectly positioned to run for the White House. Her gender has always been a positive attribute on her resume, but this time, Democrats might be skittish. After Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris, is the third time the charm? Probably not.Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is always mentioned in any rundown of a possible Democratic field. He has been reelected in a battleground state and wins plaudits across party lines for his governing style, which is straightforward and close to the voters. His residence was firebombed earlier this year in a politically inspired attack that Shapiro was able to deftly defuse while addressing the devastation it caused him and his family. But in the end, he is perfectly positioning himself for what he failed to get from Biden, the second spot on the ticket.Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a billionaire who is ready and willing to spend his money promoting Democrats, including himself, has a progressive record of governing to showcase. As someone who inherited family money and has a substantial record of public service, his voice will be a welcome counterweight to the tech billionaires on the Republican side. However, the country may be suffering from billionaire overload after dealing with the likes of Elon Musk, faux billionaire Trump, and the various high-tech oligarchs who put the Gilded Age Rockefeller, Morgan, and Vanderbilt Robber Barons to shame.Former Biden Cabinet Secretary Pete Buttigieg is also expected to take his message national. He talks in a plain and unadorned way. He makes himself clear. And he is not afraid to go into the lion’s den of Fox News to reach voters outside his comfort zone. He bears watching as a national figure if not presidential nominee.Voters are hungry for a charismatic leader who can counter whatever Trump-like figure emerges on the GOP side. The 2024 election was all about security, border control, and crime, and while these remain important, 2028 voters will want more. It is up to Democrats to figure out what Kamala could not, which is a vision and roadmap for the future.One potential candidate checks these boxes: Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. He has done the near impossible in an America as divided as we are today by winning his red state not once but twice. He had the courage to push through Medicaid and to film an ad touting legal abortion with a woman who was raped at age 12 by her stepfather. Young, intelligent, Kennedyesque, and popular, Beshear may be the one. See Eleanor Clift’s book Selecting a President, and Douglas Cohn’s latest books The President’s First Year: The Only School for Presidents Is the Presidency and World War 4: Nine Scenarios (endorsed by seven flag officers).Twitter: @douglas_cohn© 2024 U.S. News Syndicate, Inc.Distributed by U.S. News Syndicate, Inc.END WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND
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