Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris recently discussed her memoir ‘107 Days’ at the Southbank Centre’s London Literature Festival 2025. As Harris considers another run for the presidency in 2028, her standing within the Democratic Party is a topic of debate.
The question for many Democrats is whether her name recognition translates into support for a 2028 bid. Fletcher Smith, a former South Carolina state legislator, emphasized the emergence of younger Democrats who could lead. He suggested Harris consider stepping aside to allow new leaders to emerge:
“People just want to move on. We’ve got a number of younger generation of people who are capable of leading.”
Jamal Simmons, Harris’s former communications director, highlighted the respect she garners within the Democratic Party. However, he noted respect doesn’t always equate to electoral support:
“She’s extraordinarily popular in the party… There’s a lot of respect for her. But it’s yet to be seen how much of that becomes support for another presidential run.”
Bakari Sellers, a podcast host and former state senator, pointed out Harris’s need to connect more with specific constituencies, such as Black men. He commented:
“One of the first statements she put out was about AI, when she needs to boost her support among Black men.”
Sellers ranked Harris as the second top candidate for 2028, but questioned the influence of her team:
“Let Kamala be Kamala, and you would have the next president of the United States without a doubt in my mind.”
Despite Harris’s achievements, Democratic strategist Kaivan Shroff noted her narrative hasn’t evolved since 2024, which represents a challenge:
“Running again without a new chapter or story to tell is like reapplying to the same college after getting rejected.”
Shroff stressed the importance of her leveraging her current leadership role effectively, such as showing support for Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan. Meanwhile, Virginia Democratic state senator L. Louise Lucas warned that overlooking Harris too quickly could have negative implications:
“It could very well be that some folks would be so disillusioned that they would just say, ‘I give up on this process.’”
Not all Democrats are rushing to support Harris’s potential run. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan indicated a crowded primary likely awaits. Commenting on the upcoming elections, Senator Angela Alsobrooks focused on immediate priorities:
“We’re focused on 2026. We’re going to win back the House and the Senate.”
Harris remains an influential figure, but her path to a 2028 candidacy involves complex considerations within the Democratic Party.