As the midterm elections loom, speculation is growing over who could emerge as contenders in the 2028 presidential race. Polling has pointed to high-profile figures such as Vice President JD Vance and former Vice President Kamala Harris as potential frontrunners, as the field could begin to take shape in the coming weeks. The months after the midterms often bring the presidential field into clearer focus, as prospective candidates begin laying the groundwork for campaigns.
Both Harris and Vance have been asked about potential runs, as have Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom. Even Donald Trump has been asked who he sees as a successor to MAGA. Harris lost her 2024 White House bid to Trump.
Newsweek reached out to the White House to get comment from Vance and to Harris' office via email on Tuesday. A YouGov/Economist poll released on Tuesday shows Harris' favorability slightly ahead of Vance's. The current Vice President's total favorability is 41 percent versus a 53 percent unfavorable rating.
Comparatively, Harris' total favorability is 43 percent compared to a 54 percent total unfavorable rating. The poll surveyed 1,440 U.S. registered voters from October 23–26, 2026, and has a margin of error of 3 percent. Craig Agranoff, political professor at Florida Atlantic University, told Newsweek on Tuesday that "the 2028 talk will ramp up the moment the midterm results are clear.
That is the normal cycle. Candidates and donors start positioning the day after, especially if one party gains or loses ground. I do not take polling this far out as a serious forecast.
Two years is a long time in politics. Name recognition drives most of these early numbers. A lot of voters have not even started thinking about 2028 yet." Agranoff continued: "The recent surveys show Vance with a clear lead on the Republican side and Harris ahead of a scattered Democratic field, but nearly half of Democrats still have no preference.
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