‘Every Tom, Dick and Harry’: Kamala Harris faces wide-open 2028 Democratic primary

WASHINGTON, DC: Former Vice President Kamala Harris has not decided whether to run for president in 2028, while Senator Elissa Slotkin predicts a crowded Democratic primary again, as per Fox News article published Sunday, October 4.

Harris was the Democratic presidential nominee in 2024, and possible contenders include Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and California Governor Gavin Newsom.

Harris returned to the campaign trail in the last week of September alongside Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed while keeping her 2028 plans open.

Slotkin expects a very crowded primary

“I think we're going to have a very, very, very messy and very big primary,” Slotkin, D-Mich, said, the outlet cited.

“It's going to be every Tom, Dick and Harry. And that's probably where it should be,” she said.

Her comments came as several Democratic senators declined to commit to Harris for another presidential bid. 

Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn, said he had backed Harris before but added, “there'll be other contenders this time” and said he had made no decision on whom he would support, as per the article.

Senator Chris Coons, D-Del, also declined to look past the 2026 midterms, saying, “We've got a lot of people who are going to run, and I think we should sort that out after the midterms.”

Senator Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md, said she has a personal relationship with Harris and called her “amazing” and “very well qualified,” but added that Democrats need to focus on 2026. 

She also said, “I think anybody who wants to run should.”

Harris is leaving her 2028 decision open

Harris was asked in Detroit whether she would run in 2028 and said she had not decided. 

She urged Democrats to focus on November and warned that "28 won't matter” without success in 2026.

Senator Ed Markey, D-Mass, described the presidential contest as “a wide open primary” and said, “Everyone who wants to run should be able to run for office here.”

That field could include Ocasio-Cortez, who represents the Democratic Party's progressive wing and describes herself as a democratic socialist. 

Newsom is another potential contender, although he said last month that he would not run if Harris enters the race.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH, said Democrats should have “a lot of candidates running” so the party can have “a very broad discussion about the future of this country.”

Poll shows Harris facing a potential challenger

A July University of New Hampshire Granite State Poll found Ocasio-Cortez leading the prospective Democratic field in New Hampshire with 22% support among likely Democratic primary voters. Harris registered 5%.

Neither Harris nor Ocasio-Cortez has announced a 2028 campaign, the outlet reported.

The outlet said Harris leads with about 25% support among potential presidential candidates in the RealClearPolitics average, while noting that some critics view that support as soft and tied to her name recognition.

A July Harvard Harris poll also found Harris with a 41% favorable rating and 48% unfavorable rating.

Adam Hamilton, the Democratic Senate candidate in Kansas, said a Harris visit would not help him, saying, “She would actually hurt me,” he told NBC.