First 2028 Democrat Back Outs, Says They Will Not Run for President
The Democratic Party is already facing early turbulence in the race for 2028, with one of its rising stars bowing out before the contest even begins.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, once touted as a fresh face for Democrats on the national stage, has confirmed he will not run for president in 2028, choosing instead to seek re-election as governor. His announcement comes as prominent voices on the Left debate who could possibly lead a fractured and unpopular Democratic Party into the future.
On his SiriusXM show Straight Shooter with Stephen A., sports commentator Stephen A. Smith fielded a call from a self-described “lifetime lib” in Wisconsin who suggested California Gov. Gavin Newsom as the party’s top choice. Smith wasn’t convinced.
“You shouldn’t be. You shouldn’t be,” Smith cut in, before naming his preferred picks. “I love Gov. Josh Shapiro from Pennsylvania and Gov. Wes Moore from Maryland. Those are my two and not necessarily in that order,” he said, according to The Hill.
But Moore himself is not interested. During an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press earlier this month, anchor Kristen Welker pressed him on whether he would seek the Democratic nomination for president. His answer was direct: “Yeah, I’m not running for president.” He reiterated that his focus remains on Maryland, pointing to population growth and his intent to ask voters for a second term.
“Our population is growing, Maryland is moving, and so I’m really excited about going back in front of the people of my state and asking for another term,” Moore said.
The governor also weighed in on the contentious issue of redistricting, signaling that “all options are on the table” in reshaping Maryland’s congressional lines. That stance is especially notable given Democrats already dominate the state’s delegation, leaving just one Republican, Rep. Andy Harris, who has held office since 2011. While Moore denounced gerrymandering as “a true stain on a larger democratic soul,” he left the door open to maps that could further tilt the playing field in his party’s favor.
Despite Moore’s clear disinterest in a presidential campaign, Smith urged Democrats not to underestimate him. “Gov. Wes Moore is the real deal. Make no mistake about it, I doubt he’ll run, but he is the real deal. When you talk about somebody that can walk and communicate … across the aisle and fixated on getting things done, Wes Moore is somebody that I would strongly, strongly advise you not to ignore,” Smith insisted.
Smith also weighed in on Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has long been floated as a possible White House contender. While conceding that Newsom “looks so presidential” in his blue suits and carries himself well in debates, Smith acknowledged the California governor’s disastrous record.
“They’re going to point to a lot of different things that have ravaged that state,” Smith told listeners, noting the explosion of homelessness, suffocating taxes and regulations, and the mass exodus of businesses from California during Newsom’s leadership. “And I think ultimately that’s going to hurt him in a general election.”
Smith summed up Newsom’s shortcomings with a blunt critique: “Gavin Newsom is a kind man whose heart is in the right place, and he just doesn’t want to say no to everybody. But when you are in office, you have to say no sometimes, and it doesn’t seem to be his gift.”
For Democrats, the 2028 primary season is already off to a rocky start. With Moore out, Newsom weakened by his record, and no clear national leader emerging, the party may be heading toward yet another internal identity crisis.