The 2028 presidential election is exactly three years from today. Imagine a burnt-out nation teetering on the brink of recession from campaign fatigue.
For Republicans, the question of who will be President Trump’s MAGA-man successor is already a hot issue. recent president “Endorsed” their dream ticket – Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio – and cheered, “Obviously we have JD, the Vice President, who is great. Marco is great. I’m not sure whether anyone would stand up against those two. I think if they ever put together a group, it would be unstoppable.”
However, the Earth will revolve around the Sun three times before the voters make the final decision. Therefore, alternative Republican candidates may emerge while Republican and independent primary voters may reject a predetermined, finger-on-the-scale ticket. unpopular lame presidentas shown Tuesday’s off-year electionTrump’s name was invisibly at the top of every ballot, and He was thrown down.
Assuming no seismic event occurs before November 7, 2028, that would usher in President J.D. Vance, the expectation is that the Republican ticket drama will be relatively mild compared to the expensive, brutal struggle that a Democratic presidential nominee would create.
At the end of September, The hill has been illuminated. “Ranking the Democratic Contenders for President in 2028.” California Governor Gavin Newsom led that list of 10 names, and then tuesday’s redistricting victoryStrengthened its top position.
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) also wasn’t on that list — a change likely to happen. In 2024, Kelly’s national profile increased He was then on Kamala Harris’s short list of potential vice presidential nominees, but she chose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz instead.
Now, Arizona’s senior senator appears to be in exploratory “teasing mode” for the presidency. during aJuly 27 CNN interview“State of the Union” anchor Jake Tapper said Kelly “was videoconferencing from Pennsylvania and recently did a town hall in Michigan.” When Tapper said, “These are both key battlegrounds” and asked, “Yes or No: Are you considering running for president in 2028?” Kelly responded harshly, “I’m not going to give you a yes or no answer.”
Translation: Kelly is testing its feasibility on the ground.
Also in July, Axios reported that Kelly had $7.9 million into his campaign coffers, which “can be legally transferred to the presidential campaign account.” Kelly’s ability to complicate his presidential decisions 2028 Senate re-election bidIn 2022, he won re-election With 51 percent – the same kind of narrow victory he enjoyed 2020 special election That gives him the remaining two years of the incomplete term of the late Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.). Undoubtedly, the 2028 Senate reelection campaign in swing-state Arizona will be highly competitive.
Also, pointing out presidential interestIn September, Kelly was seen in South Carolina – an early, winning primary state – speaking with key state legislators. He is a simple politician serving on both Senate Armed Services Committee and Select Committee on Intelligence. Keep an eye out for Kelly’s name in the 2028 presidential rankings as her national media profile continues to rise, showing that she is articulate, informed, and authentic.
This week, hill called kelly “A prominent centrist who is in the middle of the negotiations,” with Eight other Democratic senatorsWho are working to end the government shutdown. However, he is also a “prominent centrist” an extraordinary American hero in an era when showman “celebrity” candidates and attention-grabbing executives dominate the media.
Kelly, a former astronautFlew on four Space Shuttle missions from 2001 to 2011, commanding his last two after piloting the first two. Before joining NASA in 1996, he was an experienced naval aviator and test pilot, completing 375 carrier landings and 39 combat missions during Operation Desert Storm.
In the political arena, Kelly’s distinguished military and astronaut career should never be underappreciated, because doing so diminishes American greatness. Considering the high-tech, globally competitive era in which world war often seems far from a headline, Kelly’s extraordinary skills, honed through the military, space and science, along with experience on key Senate committees, could translate into presidential leadership during these volatile times.
was personally painful The horrific shooting of his wifeFormer Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.). In January 2011, while holding Supermarket Parking Lot Forum In Tucson, Arizona, Giffords survived being shot in the head. Six of his constituents died and 12 others were injured. Mark Kelly’s response was a reflection of courage, love and sacrifice. He retired from NASA after six months to help Giffords’ recovery.
For those keeping an eye on the 2028 horse races, Kelly is worth watching as he appears to have national momentum. The questions are: Can he appeal to Democratic primary voters across the country? How far to the left would “prominent centrist” Kelly need to go to secure the Democratic nomination? Can he effectively establish himself as the strongest candidate in the general election by attracting independents and Republicans tired of JD Vance and the MAGA anarchy?
However, Kelly’s 51 percent margin of victory in the 2022 Arizona Senate race does not bode well. Still, his life story and political experiences are fitting for a divided nation in a dangerous world that may become even more so by 2028. With their nerves strong, the American people can elect a true warrior as president – a Navy fighter pilot and space shuttle commander who endured the most extreme, life-threatening situations for decades, including a near-fatal wound to his wife’s head.
Curious about Kelly’s presidential viability, I asked political expert Mark Halperin, editor-in-chief of the live interactive video platform. 2 wayHe responded, “A compelling biography is neither destiny nor everything when it comes to being a strong presidential candidate, but it is a prerequisite. Add Kelly’s battleground status and the fact that nothing screams ‘electable’ more than ‘astronaut,’ and I wouldn’t count him in that clearly weak field.”
The next presidential election could be a dramatic change from President Trump’s policiesAmidst the economic crisis,withMore than half of Americans believeThey need to be reined in before they destroy American democracy.
If Kelly runs for the Democratic presidential nomination and wins, the showdown with (presumably) Vice President J.D. Vance will be an epic battle of manhood to “save America” from the opposite party.
myra adamsis a political and religious opinion writer who served on the creative team of two Republican presidential campaigns, in 2004 and 2008.
