The plan was for the party to rally behind their 2024 nominee for a quick 2028 run. That was the plan. The reality is a wide-open field where senators won’t even commit to her yet.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris has not decided if she will run again. She is hitting the trail now to help Democrats in the upcoming midterms. But her own party members are keeping their distance. They are waiting to see how the field shapes up.
Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut told Fox News Digital he has not made up his mind. “Well, I’ve backed her before, but there’ll be other contenders this time,” he said.
Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan expects a crowded race. “I think we’re going to have a very, very, very messy and very big primary,” she told the outlet. She believes the field will be wide open. “It’s going to be every Tom, Dick and Harry. And that’s probably where it should be,” Slotkin said.
Senator Chris Coons of Delaware agrees they should wait. “We’ve got a lot of people who are going to run and I think we should sort that out after the midterms,” Coons stated. The focus is on winning back Congress first.
A July poll from the University of New Hampshire shows a clear split. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez leads the potential 2028 field with 22% support among likely voters. Harris registered only 5% in that same poll. Neither woman has announced a campaign yet.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is also seen as a contender. He declared last month that a Harris candidacy would prevent his own run. Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire supports a broad discussion. “We should have a lot of candidates running so we have a very broad discussion about the future of this country,” she said.
Senator Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland praised Harris personally but warned against distraction. “We’re focused on 2026,” Alsobrooks said. “We’re gonna win back the House and the Senate.” She noted her friendship with Harris but stressed the need to focus on the next election.
Tension also flared at a recent campaign event in Sacramento. Harris appeared for nine minutes for congressional candidate Dr. Richard Pan. According to RedState, some media outlets were blocked from covering the stop. KCRA 3 reported its news team was not invited.
Former VP Kamala Harris and Sacramento area Democratic Congressional candidate Richard Pan blocked some journalists, including @kcranews, from covering their event at Pan HQ Friday.
I asked Pan today if that was the right move. He wouldn’t answer the question. https://t.co/9ikwuuvbpE
— Ashley Zavala (@ZavalaA) October 3, 2026
A spokesman for Pan’s campaign told KCRA 3 that Harris’ team directed the exclusion. The decision also barred The New York Times. However, a person on Harris’ team denied this. They claimed Pan’s campaign was “fully” responsible for the press list. The two sides are blaming each other.
KCRA 3 reporter Ashley Zavala tried to ask Pan about the exclusion. He would not answer the question. The event ended without a clear resolution on who controls the press access.
The party is sorting out its future while trying to win the present. The primary will be messy, and the field is wide open. No one is rushing to pick a winner before the midterms.
