Democrats are already eyeing the 2028 United States presidential election. Who do the odds favor to be the Democratic presidential nominee in 2028?
Gavin Newsom, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Lead the Way
We’re in Brazil — one of the world’s great democracies, one of our biggest trading partners — and not a single person from the Trump Administration showed up.
That’s shameful. pic.twitter.com/1VSF2Kevv5
— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) November 10, 2025
The 2028 presidential election will be the first without Donald Trump as the Republican nominee since 2012. Trump is currently serving his second and final term as the President of the United States.
The Democrats will attempt to regain control of the White House in 2028. Who will be their pick to run against the Republicans?
Polymarket lists Gavin Newsom (+163) as the heavy favorite to win the Democratic nomination in the 2028 election. Newsom, 58, has been California’s governor since 2019.
Newsom has not announced his intention to run for president in 2028. However, the governor is clearly considering it as an option after the 2026 midterm elections.
“Yeah. I’d be lying otherwise,” Newsom told CBS Sunday Morning when asked if he’s pondered running for president. “I’d just be lying. And I’m – I can’t do that.”
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the other name generating a lot of momentum for 2028. The 36-year-old currently represents New York’s 14th congressional district.
Ocasio-Cortez, also known as AOC, has become one of the leading younger voices in the Democratic Party. Ocasio-Cortez, a democratic socialist, continues to grow in popularity.
Democratic Presidential Nominee 2028 Odds
| Democratic Presidential Nominee 2028 | Odds |
|---|---|
| Gavin Newsom | +163 |
| Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez | +669 |
| Pete Buttigieg | +1567 |
| Kamala Harris | +1900 |
| Jon Ossoff | +2400 |
| Josh Shapiro | +2400 |
| Wes Moore | +3233 |
| Andy Beshear | +4900 |
| J.B. Pritzker | +4900 |
| Rahm Emmanuel | +4900 |
| Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson | +9900 |
| Gretchen Whitmer | +9900 |
| Zohran Mamdani | +9900 |
| Michelle Obama | +9900 |
| Mark Kelly | +9900 |
| LeBron James | +9900 |
| John Fetterman | +9900 |
| Mark Cuban | +9900 |
| Jon Stewart | +9900 |
| Liz Cheney | +9900 |
| Kim Kardashian | +9900 |
| Roy Cooper | +9900 |
| Jared Polis | +9900 |
| Stephen A. Smith | +9900 |
| Gina Raimondo | +9900 |
| Raphael Warnock | +9900 |
| Tim Walz | +9900 |
| Andrew Yang | +9900 |
| Phil Murphy | +9900 |
| MrBeast | +9900 |
Odds via Polymarket as of Nov. 12.
Outside of Newsom and Ocasio-Cortez, who else does Polymarket list as a potential candidate for the Democratic nominee in 2028?
Pete Buttigieg (+1567) previously ran in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries. Buttigieg, who became the first openly gay man to run for the Democratic presidential nomination, won the Iowa caucus before eventually dropping out and supporting Joe Biden.
Would Kamala Harris (+1900) ever run for president again? The former vice president ran as the Democratic nominee after Biden suspended his reelection campaign. Harris lost the 2024 election to Trump.
Other names to keep an eye on are Jon Ossoff (+2400), Josh Shapiro (+2400), and Wes Moore (+3233).
Celebrities will always find themselves on these lists. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (+9900) and Stephen A. Smith (+9900) have openly discussed the idea of running for president in 2028. Though both men remain content sitting on the sidelines, Smith has considered a career in politics more than Johnson.
