Allies of Rep. Ro Khanna, the Silicon Valley Democrat, have launched a draft committee to lay the groundwork for a 2028 presidential run, NBC News reported. Former Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York and progressive strategist Nomiki Konst co-chair the group, called "Run Ro." It can raise money and build support while Khanna decides.
"By launching now, we are trying to ensure that the presidential primary debate is framed from a progressive populist perspective," Konst said. The Daily Beast noted that the launch came just two days after Democrats' sweeping midterm gains, which included several progressive Senate wins.
Khanna, a fifth-term member and co-chair of Bernie Sanders' 2020 campaign, has been visiting early primary states for months. "I'm honored that people are encouraging me to run on a platform of Medicare for All, ending foreign wars and taxing the billionaires," he said. "Whether I run or support someone else is something I will decide with my family after the holidays."
NBC noted that only one person, James Garfield in 1880, has been elected president directly from the House. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, often seen as the best-known House progressive, has not said what she will do. No Democrat has formally entered the 2028 race.