As hard as it is to imagine, after months of build-up, in a few weeks the midterms will be in the rearview mirror — and the mad scramble among Democrats for the 2028 presidential nomination will begin. If you are a Democrat contemplating a presidential run, you may want to consider several factors before making a big announcement.
Do you really want to do this? More specifically, potential contenders need to decide if they want to undertake this massive effort now. If they are under fifty years old, they have 4-5 presidential cycles before anyone will consider them past their prime. If they are over seventy years old, they should strongly reconsider, given the experience of two geriatric presidents and the public demand to turn the page vigorously on an era of misguided Middle East wars, economic disaster, and government dysfunction.
If they want to continue public service, they should keep in mind the plethora of more attainable positions, elected and non-elected, and the critical role of civil society. After the Trump regime is gone, the country will need devoted public servants to rebuild the federal government, lead higher education (reestablishing its independence and crafting a new relationship with the federal government). There will be plenty of critical non-governmental positions that require support, as well as international posts in organizations that have been decimated by neglect, war, and corruption.
By definition, everyone who runs for the nomination (save one) will lose — and may find that future opportunities have dimmed or diminished thanks to a failed run. Also, those mulling running should not think they must run for president to get on the ticket. (Sen. Tim Kaine did not in 2016, former Sen. Al Gore did not in 1992; both were picked as VPs.)
Run to lead the party and the country. If potential candidates aim to show that Democratic socialists have no business running the country, or, conversely, that establishment Democrats are the bane of the party, they probably should not be running for the nomination of the Democratic Party. There will be plenty of spirited policy debates, but ultimately the winner will need to unite the party and lead it to victory in 2028. Constant internecine warfare is as tiresome as it is irrelevant to ordinary voters. There will be plenty of credit to go around after November for wins, so fighting over who was “right” about which candidates will be a pointless exercise.
More importantly, 2028 aspirants should focus on voters enraged enough with Trump’s status quo to move the needle. With Democrats having regained ground with Hispanics, regained rural voters in the Midwest, and seen elevated Black engagement as both candidates and voters in the deep South, it would be a grave error to neglect these crucial voters or expect them to welcome the Democratic nominee in two years. Serious 2028 contenders should continue to foster ties, maintain voter engagement, and encourage ongoing organizing efforts. Considering the new Democratic primary calendar features a prominent southern state, South Carolina, then states with significant Hispanic voting populations — e.g., Nevada, New Mexico — these efforts will have both short- and longer-term benefits.
Run for commander in chief. Donald Trump has taken a wrecking ball to the United States’ standing in the world, our alliances, our military readiness, and our force cohesion/morale. (Due to the disastrous Iran war, there is a robust debate about whether we should largely withdraw or merely modulate our engagement in the Middle East. Neither these issues nor our complex relationship with Israel are going to solve themselves.)
Contenders for 2028 should use the time before the campaign starts in earnest to travel, re-establish relationships with allies Trump has alienated (e.g., Canada, the EU), develop a game plan for rebuilding U.S. leadership in the world — where friends and foes now have every reason to doubt our dependability — and consider how to reconstitute an honor-bound, inclusive, nonpartisan military command structure. The binary choice between isolationism and American domination is neither viable nor desirable, but it is far from clear what sort of American foreign policy framework can replace what Trump and his minions have managed to destroy.
It may not be the most decisive issue in selecting a nominee, but national security bona fides will be essential for anyone who wants to lead the party and restore America’s national security.
Get a reform agenda. There will be plenty of time to develop detailed proposals on everything from healthcare to taxes to green energy, but with Democrats likely coming to power in Congress, focus will soon turn to anti-corruption measures. Savvy 2028 contenders should be prepared to add their voices to press for passage of a strong reform agenda now, daring Trump to veto it.
Stock trading bans and full financial disclosure for all branches (including the president, vice president, and Supreme Court justices); elimination of all “side hustles” for the president and vice president; stringent enforcement and penalties for the Hatch Act; disgorgement of ill-gotten gains in violation of the Emoluments Clause; and an enforceable mechanism for implementing the 25th Amendment are a few of the basic elements of an immediate reform package. Candidates for 2028 will want to champion these, as well as far-reaching proposals (such as Supreme Court reform and Voting Rights reauthorization), to underscore a willingness to constrain themselves, should they get elected.
Address accountability. Democrats will spend the next two years conducting oversight and attempting to use the power of the purse and legislation to curtail Trump regime wrongdoing and hold accountable those who have abused Americans’ rights, stolen from the taxpayers, and violated an array of laws. However, the job of cleaning up the executive branch and federally prosecuting criminal wrongdoers will have to wait for a Democratic president.
Candidates should have, at bare minimum, an overarching approach for addressing malfeasance. Without repeating Trump’s sin of vowing to prosecute his predecessors, viable candidates can establish some general standards. Appoint a special counsel to investigate past crimes; review all Justice Department lawyers’ records for ethical and legal impropriety; offer to bridge service for civil servants who have been improperly fired/forced out; beef up new protections for inspectors general; set up a system to systematically gather whistleblower complaints/evidence of Trump-era wrongdoing; enhance congressional contempt powers; champion legislation to provide a private right of action against federal officials who abuse civil liberties; release all ICE records to local and state prosecutors to review excessively violent cases; and undertake military review of violations of the laws of war.
Running for president in the wake of a fascist regime that will leave behind a host of policy and constitutional dilemmas demands seriousness of purpose, vision, and optimism. It will not be enough to clear away the wreckage of the preceding era. The 2028 contenders who show preparation, fight, imagination, insight, and daring will stand out in what may be a large field.
Voters should set a high bar for leadership — and choose wisely. Our democracy’s restoration will depend on it.
Good advice! May some smart, courageous and energetic Dems heed it!
Ms. Rubin lists several reforms, including "elimination of all “side hustles” for the president and vice president"
I think ALL Cabinet members and ALL members of Congress and ALL members of the Judiciary should be limited or prohibited from "side-hustles" - any second "job" more involved than the occasional opinion article or video interview on news or podcast channels.
I think running any regular podcast or running any company is too much of a "side hustle" for any person drawing any full-time Federal paycheck.