With the approval of the Democratic Party reaching record lows at 21% nationally, and the party in virtual disarray, many have been left wondering who will take the mantle of de-facto leader of the party. Since losing both chambers of Congress and the White House in November’s general election, the Democrats have lacked a cohesive message to combat the Trump Administration’s initiatives.
With President Trump’s approval hovering in the low 50s, Democrats have been scrambling to unify and signal to their voters that they are actively fighting back against the administration that they believe is doing harm to the country. The Democratic Party, as of now, is not conveying any message or new ideas that would appeal to the average voter nor to their base—the party has instead focused on pure opposition to every action of the president, even while voters and the Democrat base are begging for new ideas to counter those of the president. The American people, according to most polls, want two parties that present and argue over the best ideas, not simple, unequivocal opposition.
Those on the leftwing flank of the party, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez–or AOC–and Bernie Sanders have tried to take the party farther left and believe that a shift in that direction will energize the party, leading to more election victories in the future. They are focusing on issues such as looser border legislation, fighting the oligarchy and raising taxes, and Elon Musk’s DOGE. The facts, however, show that the vast majority of Americans want both parties—but particularly the Democrats after the last election—to moderate their positions, signaling that the AOC-Sanders playbook may not be the answer.
On the other end of the party are the moderates, such as Pennsylvania Senator Fetterman and newly elected Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin, who advocate for a shift to the middle and returning to “common sense positions” in the so-called “culture wars” and a more working class message that appeals to a more diverse group of voters, not just the increasingly left-leaning base. Once again, the position of the moderates is supported by polling data on the current state of the party and is probably the party’s best bet for the future.
Despite all of these challenges, the most basic issue is that, according to Democrats themselves, their leaders in Congress—such as Chuck Schumer—appear feckless and without the ability to lead a strong opposition to President Trump’s policies. Looking towards the midterm and general elections, the Democrats have a bench of possible leaders that many hope will lead them to an Obama 2008-style rebound following November’s defeat.
From the left of the party, AOC has seemingly dominated the post-election scene for the Democrats and has had some social media success and viral moments that put her on the list of possible candidates. AOC is a self-proclaimed Democratic-Socialist and populist from New York, who is popular with the youth but would likely be unable to unify the party behind her because of her far-left views and lack of appeal to the moderate voter. Though AOC has a strong brand, it is unlikely her brand would carry much weight outside of NY-14.
Also in the news recently is Gavin Newsom, the governor of California. Gavin Newsom’s strengths lie in his charisma and experience as the chief executive of the country’s most populous state. Gavin Newsom’s policies align with the more far-left ideas of the party and while relatively popular in California, his national unfavorability is 22 points higher than his favorability. His policies in California, including strict regulation, sky-high taxes, and stances on cultural issues would likely make it hard for Newsom to get a footing; despite this, he would likely still be a strong candidate for the nomination, but convincing the nation that Newsom should be president will be a more difficult task.
Names such as Pete Buttigieg and Cory Booker have also made the news recently, leaving many wondering whether they have what it takes to lead the party and the nation. Regarding Pete Buttigieg, who is looking to run for senate in Michigan, he will likely remain out of the national spotlight, especially if he wins the race for senate in 2026, and choose to serve his term as senator from that crucial swing state.
Regarding Cory Booker—who recently broke the record for longest speech on the senate floor, surpassing 24 hours—he has sparked interest in his charisma, persuasive ability, and endurance, which has left many suggesting Cory Booker may be the right answer. Despite Booker’s 2020 run for president, in which he adopted many far-left leaning policies compared to the ones he supported previously, Booker remains a strong choice for the leader of the party, and perhaps the 2028 nominee, especially considering his nearly ideal age for the job and good instincts.
More familiarly, Tim Walz of Minnesota, the 2024 Democrat nominee for vice president, has signaled that he is open to running on his own in 2028. Walz, as governor of his home state, has remained in the national spotlight, holding events across the country where he has rallied against President Trump’s agenda, Musk’s DOGE, and floated the possibility that the 2024 election may have been stolen from himself and Kamala Harris. From what we saw on the campaign trail last year, Walz’s charisma is questionable and his appeal to moderate voters and the base likely will not be enough to get him to the nomination.
Despite her loss, Kamala Harris is still the favorite to win the 2028 nomination by a margin of 15 points among Democrats. As the former vice president, Harris has a strong base of support and experience running a campaign. Harris has a level of charisma that is enough to attract voters and enough experience to run on; her biggest problem would be to change certain policies that led to her loss and rebrand herself. Her task, should she win the nomination—which is anything but a certainty—would be to convince voters who rejected her last time that she is the right candidate and president for them. She would essentially have to step away from the Biden Administration’s legacy and build a new one.
The Democrats have a large enough bench of candidates to choose from, each with their own pros and cons—luckily they have plenty of time to deliberate and select a candidate, who will likely be one of those named in this piece, before 2028. The bigger problem for the party is that they have no leader to guide the party’s message and unify the divergent flanks to effectively oppose the president’s agenda to the degree their base would like. Over the next few months, it may have to be a group of congressional leaders taking the mantle or someone like former President Obama to unify the party in time for the midterms.
