WASHINGTON\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Former Vice President Kamala Harris said Friday she was considering running for president in 2028, offering the clearest signal yet that she could seek to lead Democrats back to the White House.<\/p>\n
\u201cI might, I might,\u201d she told an audience in New York. \u201cI\u2019m thinking about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Harris was asked about her plans by the Rev. Al Sharpton during a conversation at a convening of his civil rights organization National Action Network, where several other likely Democratic hopefuls also were appearing this week. Some in Harris\u2019 audience chanted \u201cRun again!\u201d before Sharpton asked whether she might do so.<\/p>\n
\u201cI served for four years being a heartbeat away from the presidency of the United States,\u201d Harris said. \u201cI know what the job is and I know what it requires.\u201d<\/p>\n
Harris\u2019 loss to President Trump in 2024<\/a> was gutting for Democrats, who have faced persistent questions about the party\u2019s direction and what type of candidate would be best positioned to retake the presidency. <\/p>\n Democrats have notched some wins against Republicans in recent state-level races as Trump\u2019s popularity has declined<\/a> and have set their sights on gains in this year\u2019s midterm elections. Even if the party\u2019s popularity rises, however, the 2028 race likely will be a tooth-and-nail fight as the country determines who will succeed Trump.<\/p>\n \u201cDemocrats can win in the midterm through protest votes against [Trump\u2019s] direction of the country, but they\u2019ll clearly need a vision for 2028 and beyond to win the presidency,\u201d said Thad Kousser, a political science professor at UC San Diego. <\/p>\n The number of Democrats vying to put forth that vision is set to be high. Other potential 2028 candidates, including Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois, Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, also spoke or were scheduled to speak with Sharpton before the conference ends Saturday. <\/p>\n California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is considering a presidential run, was not on the convention schedule. A recent poll found<\/a> that Newsom would have a wide lead over Harris among Democratic voters in California for the party\u2019s next nominee.<\/p>\n Whether Harris would seek the nation\u2019s highest office again after a fast, truncated 2024 campaign following former President Biden\u2019s withdrawal from the race has been the subject of speculation for months. <\/p>\n