With the Democratic Party’s post-Biden era looming, several high-profile liberals are already maneuvering for 2028 — but not all are ready to step into the spotlight just yet.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore, long considered a rising star among progressives, insists he won’t be seeking the presidency in 2028. Despite maintaining a national presence and traveling to early primary battlegrounds like South Carolina, Moore claims he has no interest in a White House bid — or even a vice-presidential nod.

“I’m not running,” Moore told The Associated Press. He also dismissed any talk of a VP ticket: “I’m not trying to get my name in the conversation,” he added, after yet another high-profile appearance scheduled for the Blue Palmetto Dinner in South Carolina — a state crucial in previous Democratic primaries.

Moore tried to explain away his nationwide travel as part of a business drive for Maryland. “And people should get very used to me going all over the country bringing business back to Maryland,” Moore said during a recent speech in Annapolis. But even Democrats aren’t buying it completely — especially with the governor making more media rounds than some sitting senators.

Currently in the third year of his first term, Moore faces reelection next year in deep-blue Maryland, but speculation continues to swirl around his ambitions far beyond the state line.

While Moore retreats from the spotlight — at least publicly — former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is doing the opposite. In fact, he’s crafting what many Democrats view as the blueprint for a stealth presidential campaign.

This week, Buttigieg returned to Washington to huddle with Democratic digital media influencers, aiming to boost his reach among younger and more independent audiences — the exact crowd President Donald J. Trump has consistently dominated through appearances on major platforms like Joe Rogan’s podcast.

Buttigieg, known for chasing media trends rather than delivering policy results during his tenure at the Department of Transportation, is now trying to rebrand himself as the party’s communicator-in-chief. In an interview with The Washington Examiner, he made his aspirations plain — though wrapped in politician-speak.

“I’m using my voice best I can in traditional media and new media,” he said. “I don’t know what that means for me, politically or professionally, a long way from making any decisions about that, but I know that’s what I need to be doing right now.”

Translation: He’s running. Just not ready to say it yet.

The New York Times' Ezra Klein previously crowned Buttigieg the “Democratic Party’s acknowledged best-of-class communicator” — just before Democrats got walloped at the ballot box in November.

Yet his strategy is winning praise among progressive influencers. Sammy Kanter, a Democratic media entrepreneur, told The Examiner, “Pete’s strategy so far is on point. He’s going on podcasts, meeting Americans where they are on both sides of the aisle… and he’s excelling in that space.”

Buttigieg made headlines in April when he formally declined to run for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat — a clear indication he’s keeping his powder dry for a higher prize.

Meanwhile, other names jockeying for position in the Democrats' 2028 derby include former Vice President Kamala Harris, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and Buttigieg’s fellow cabinet alum.

Despite President Trump’s commanding leadership and successful second term agenda, the Democratic bench is clearly preparing to wage an all-out war for the post-Biden throne — with digital dominance and identity politics leading the way.