And just like that, the 2028 presidential election has begun.
The ramifications of Democrats’ sweeping victory in Tuesday’s midterm elections will be far-reaching, and perhaps nowhere more so than in the race to replace President Donald Trump. Traditional Republican strongholds like Texas, South Carolina and Kansas are sending Democrats to the US Senate. GOP politicians eyeing the White House must recalibrate for an electorate furious over the war with Iran, the cost of living, and the perceived excesses of the Trump administration. Andy Beshear – Governor of Kentucky, Democrat Beshear had a big night as the head of the Democratic Governors Association. They flipped five governors’ mansions – in Georgia, Texas, Ohio, Iowa and Nevada – and held all their other seats. Ron DeSantis – Governor of Florida, Republican
Heading into 2028, Democrats now lead all seven battleground states, and Beshear – who also conducted a book tour this cycle – has a personal relationship with many of them.
“Democrats can win anywhere; we should be fighting everywhere,” he posted on social media Tuesday night after Governor-elect Rob Sand won in Iowa.
Ashley Moody, appointed to finish the term vacated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, held off a Democratic challenge and Republican Byron Donalds won the governor’s race. DeSantis and Florida Republicans had a much stronger night than the party in other parts of the country. Sen. And while his gerrymandering effort in Florida didn’t yield additional Republican seats – the partisan makeup of the state’s congressional delegation remained the same – Florida also avoided some of the losses experienced in other traditional Republican strongholds. But his coattails may have also helped Keisha Lance Bottoms capture the state’s governor’s mansion. His margin of victory – and breakthrough campaign oriented around corruption in politics, which polls indicate resonated with many voters – will propel him into the top tier of possible candidates. Republican strength in his home state of Florida offers him a hopeful sign While Rubio has been circumspect on any future plans. So does his relative positioning in the Trump orbit – while his ties to the administration are inescapable, he’s largely outsourced the Iran war negotiations to Vance and special presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, so he may not be overly burdened with the fallout from the conflict. Rubio also largely kept off the campaign trail this year, only appearing at a few late rallies with the president – who repeatedly in recent weeks has declined to endorse Vance.
Because it means his Senate seat, should he vacate it, would go to a fellow Democrat, that’s huge if Ossoff decides to run,. Ossoff’s re-election romp – beating his opponent by 18 percentage points – set the tone for the massive Democratic night. Rubio is the chief beneficiary of the vice president’s bad fortune, since the pair are widely seen as the frontrunners in 2028.
Though Ossoff has repeatedly said he does not plan to run for president, many supporters are hopeful he changes his mind.
