Hakeem Jeffries could be the next Democratic presidential candidate when it comes to the 2028 presidential election.
Although still four years away, anger and soul-searching have gripped the Democratic Party after Kamala Harris’ election loss left some party officials blindsided.
Some party members believe plans should already begin to be made for how Democrats will recover from such a devastating loss and who could be the leader to take them there, given that many now-familiar names may be leaving the political stage.
Former Obama White House official Brett Bruen believes Democrats should use this moment to reevaluate their strategy or risk becoming even more politically marginalized in the future.
Could Hakeem Jeffries be the next Democratic presidential candidate when it comes to the 2028 presidential election?
Brett Bruen, a former Obama White House official, believes Democrats must use this moment to reevaluate their strategy or risk being even further politically marginalized in the future.
Bruen believes New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, 54, the current House minority leader, could be the leading contender to fill the leadership void.
“Hakeem Jeffries, if he rises to the presidency, is clearly the next leader,” Bruen said.
Ahead of the 2028 primaries, other potential Democratic leaders, including governors like Gavin Newsom, JB Pritzker and Gretchen Whitmer, may enter the race, but Jerffies could have time to take on a leadership role if he wins the presidency.
While Newsom might have been seen as Biden’s “heir” at some point, he probably wouldn’t be a popular choice among party members since they failed to manage the homelessness and drug crisis in California, and he was also too liberal for the party.
The former Obama adviser says he fears veering too far to the left and emphasized the need for a candidate who can reconnect with Central America.
“The next Democratic leader must resonate with voters in regions where the party struggled this time,” he said. the sunhighlighting the importance of regaining trust among working class voters.
As for Harris, the self-proclaimed underdog facing her Republican rival, Donald Trump, who joined the race just over three months ago, the nature of her loss means she is unlikely to be back in front and to the center of the party.
Some have suggested she could run for a California Senate seat, but Bruen believes the magnitude of last week’s loss means Harris’s political career is effectively over.
“I don’t think after last week’s debacle that you can run for president again,” Bruen said.
For Barack Obama, moving away from the Democratic Party may be inevitable and necessary for the party to recover.
The Clintons and Obamas are licking their wounds after their behind-the-scenes influence in pushing Biden aside and securing Harris’ nomination backfired spectacularly.
After Biden stepped aside, Harris’ loss is Democrats’ second bitter loss to Trump in the last three elections.
Similarly, with the Clintons and Obamas licking their wounds after their behind-the-scenes influence in getting Biden to step aside and securing Harris’ nomination backfired spectacularly, now might be the best time for Democrats to make a complete reboot as we usher in a new era. .
While both the Clintons and Obama had long been seen as power brokers within the party, the crushing defeat has raised questions about their continued influence and relevance in shaping the party’s future.
Insiders suggest that the influence of the Clinton and Obama political machines, once considered indispensable, may now be seen as a liability.
In recent years, the Democratic Party has become increasingly divided between its progressive and moderate wings, and some may now believe that the Clintons and Obamas no longer reflect the future direction of the party.
In fact, donors and voters alike have called for a reckoning within the Democratic Party after Harris’ loss.
With Biden’s history, there is a growing consensus within the Democratic Party that new leadership needs to be adopted.
While Newsom might have been seen as Biden’s “heir” at some point, he likely wouldn’t be a popular choice among party members as he failed to manage the homelessness and drug crisis in California, as well as being too liberal for the party.
The party ‘needs a complete reset,’ hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, a longtime Democratic donor who endorsed Trump in 2024, posted on X last week.
“The party lied to the American people about the president’s cognitive health and fitness,” he said, and then did not hold a primary to replace him.
Harris’ loss is the Democrats’ second bitter defeat to Trump in the last three elections.
Hillary Clinton’s defeat in 2016 had paved the way for Biden to run.
‘We dug a deep hole, but not deep enough. “A devastating loss,” senior campaign adviser David Plouffe wrote on X, a comment that appeared to reference Biden’s weak polls before he dropped out of the race.
Bruen said last week’s election results highlight deep flaws within the Democratic Party’s approach and wants Democrats to quickly regroup to avoid any long-term damage.
Whoever the party chooses next should try to avoid a lengthy internal battle that could further divide the party and weaken its position.
“We need to focus on building a clear and cohesive message, not on infighting,” he said.
Bruen said last week’s election results highlight deep flaws within the Democratic Party’s approach and he wants Democrats to quickly regroup to avoid any long-term damage.
Bruen said he believes the magnitude of the loss reflects a broader disconnect between the party and large swaths of the electorate, in the center of the country.
He believes Democrats have lost standing among working-class and rural voters, allowing Republicans to define the narrative and alienating a critical base as a result.
He points out that the party’s strategy of focusing heavily on progressive social issues without adequately addressing economic and cultural concerns is what cost them dearly.
Turning to the populist left in response to a populist right will only deepen the division that Bruen creates with a balanced approach that appeals to a broad spectrum of Americans.
Looking ahead, Bruen emphasized that the Democratic Party must learn from its mistakes if it hopes to regain the presidency in 2028.
Trump has done so cleverly by having rising star Ohio Senator and Vice President-elect JD Vance, still only 40 years old, ready to take over Trump’s MAGA mantle once he reaches the end of his second term in office. 2028.
He believes Trump has acted shrewdly by having Ohio’s rising star senator and vice president-elect JD Vance, who is still only 40, ready to take over Trump’s MAGA mantle once he reaches the end of his second term in office. 2028.
Vance is essentially Trump’s “heir apparent” and could well ascend to the presidency at that point unless Democrats quickly regroup.
“This is clearly Trump’s victory, and it will be interesting to see what happens after Trump leaves office and there is another Republican candidate for president,” Bruen said.
As Democrats face an uncertain future, Bruen’s comments underscore the urgency of the moment Democrats find themselves in now.