“Less than six months into President Trump’s second term, several possible GOP contenders for president in 2028 already are racing to build their national profiles, travel to early primary states and establish relationships with major donors,” Axios reports.

Said former RNC member Henry Barbour: “Everyone knows Trump has one term left, and I would say its a wide-open opportunity. These things start earlier and earlier.”

“Trump has mentioned Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as possible successors, and they’re widely seen as the early favorites for the 2028 nomination.”

“Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who has been raising her profile with a series of photo ops with ICE agents during immigration raids, is also viewed as a possible 2028 contender.”

“Democrats are rushing to portray Vice President JD Vance as the central figure behind the passage of the GOP’s megabill, with potential 2028 rivals arguing it will come back to haunt the MAGA heir apparent,” Politico reports.

“After 27 hours of debate in the Senate, Vance’s Tuesday vote brought the megabill one step closer to President Donald Trump’s desk. Democrats’ rush to tie the bill so closely to the vice president illustrates their belief that it could be toxic for the GOP in the midterms and 2028 — and that it could hurt Vance if he runs for president once Trump leaves the political stage.”

Politico: “In interviews, several major donors in the state told Politico they fear her reemergence as a candidate would re-open still-fresh wounds from her defeat in 2024. Some harbor lingering frustration about how her billion-dollar campaign juggernaut ended in debt and want assurances she would have a clear plan to win the governor’s mansion.”

Said one Democratic megadonor: “Kamala just reminds you we are in this complete shit storm… With Biden, we got bamboozled… I think she did the best she could in that situation, but obviously she knew about the cognitive decline too. I’ve written so many checks because I knew the Trump administration would be horrible, but we’re living in a nightmare because of the Democrats. I’m furious at them, truly.”

A new Emerson College poll of the 2028 Democratic presidential primary finds Pete Buttiieg with 16% support, Kamala Harris at 13%, Gavin Newsom at 12%, Josh Shapiro at 7% and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at 7%. Twenty-three percent are undecided.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), who won competitive races twice with Donald Trump on the ballot, is pitching an economic “war plan” for her party today, focused on delivering results and abandoning purity tests, the Washington Post reports.

Gilad Edelman: “Since Donald Trump’s return to the White House, Murphy has emerged as one of the most vocally freaked-out Democrats in Washington. He has become a fixture of cable news and highbrow politics podcasts, as well as a prolific poster of five-alarm-fire social-media content…”

“Murphy knows that the party brand—out of touch, too focused on social issues, too judgmental—is desperately in need of a reboot. If he is the walking embodiment of Generic Democrat, perhaps that makes him the guy for the job.”

Rahm Emanuel admits the potential of taking on JB Pritzker in a 2028 presidential run is “going to be awkward,” NBC News reports.

Asked to expound on what would make it awkward, the famously unguarded Emanuel said: “It’s so fucking — it’s self-evident, Jesus Christ.”

Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) “is already making moves to appeal to moderates and boost his national profile barely five months after winning his seat,” Axios reports.

Said Gallego: “What happened the last election is that we got so pure, and we kept so pure that we started kicking people out of the tent. It ends up there aren’t enough people in the tent to win elections.”

“Gallego — who kept his seat in the Democrats’ column despite Trump’s victory in Arizona — is planning additional stops in key battlegrounds over the coming months.”

“Andrew Cuomo hasn’t won the New York City mayor’s race yet, but he’s already planning a national campaign to take on President Donald Trump — whose Department of Justice is reportedly investigating him,” Politico reports.

“He said he’s not thinking of a future role beyond being mayor, but sees an opportunity to make a national case for Democrats.”

CNN: Andrew Cuomo campaigns for New York’s redemption— and his own.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) met with former Obama and Biden advisers in South Carolina, the Baltimore Sun reports.

“Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) is launching a new PAC aimed at taking on President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress — the latest sign the Connecticut Democrat is eyeing higher office,” Politico reports.

“Wes Moore made an early and urgent appeal Friday to one of the nation’s most important Democratic constituencies,” Politico reports.

“The first-term governor of Maryland said Democrats must adapt and change to counter President Donald Trump and improve life for the middle class if they have any hope of returning to power.”

Said Moore: “Gone are the days when we are the party of bureaucracy, multi-year studies, panels, and college debate club rules. We must be the party of action.”

“I think there are different ways of looking at politics. Some politicians look at voters and electorates and try to make predictions. I really do believe, even despite all of this, I really do believe in people. I believe in our collective conscience. So, I don’t have any master plan, but I believe that the people will show me the way.”

— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), in an interview with Rolling Stone.

Freshman Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) “was a rare bright spot for Democrats in an otherwise bleak 2024. In a year when Donald Trump won all seven battleground states and Democrats lost three Senate seats, Gallego defeated Republican Kari Lake in Arizona by 2.4 points—despite Trump carrying the state by 5.5 points in the presidential race,” The Dispatch reports.

“It’s little wonder, then, that Gallego’s name is routinely tossed around as a plausible 2028 presidential candidate.”

“Rahm Emanuel, never humble about his political skills, is trying to accomplish something that seems far-fetched even for him: push his Democratic Party—rooted in the identity politics of the left—to the center,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“The former congressman, White House chief of staff, Chicago mayor and diplomat is direct about what he thinks Democrats need to do to win national elections again. He calls the party’s brand ‘toxic’ and ‘weak and woke,’ a nod to culture-war issues he thinks Democrats have become too often fixated on that President Trump has successfully used against them.”

“While Emanuel is coy about what he wants next for his political career, he appears to be laying the groundwork for a presidential bid.“