Meet the Democratic Rising Stars Who Could Shape 2028
· Time
In what is widely being referred to as a “blue tsunami,” the Democratic Party won control of both the House and Senate in the midterm elections, gaining ground in deep-red and battleground states. The sweeping victory will reshape the final two years of President Donald Trump’s presidency and could have a significant impact on the 2028 presidential map.
In formerly reliably Republican Texas, James Talarico defeated the Trump-backed Ken Paxton and became the first Democrat to be elected Senator by Texans since 1988. Texas state representative Gina Hinojosa pulled off a similar victory, defeating three-term governor Greg Abbott. She will be the state’s first ever Latina governor. Kansas, which Trump won by a margin of 16 points in 2024, elected Adam Hamilton, welcoming its first Democratic senator since 1932.
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Seth Masket, a professor of political science at the University of Denver, describes the election as “a pretty stunning rebuke of Trump and the Republicans,” one that has given Democrats “a lot more confidence” heading into 2028.
With momentum now behind the party, Democrats are already setting their sights on a return to the White House. “Over the next two years, Democrats will show up where Republicans have failed and work every single day to bring down costs. Up next: the White House,” vowed Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin.
Yet despite their strong showing at the polls, Democrats still lack a clear leader heading into 2028, setting the stage for what could be a hard-fought primary. There are Democratic heavyweights who often appear on presidential contender lists, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, and former presidential candidate Kamala Harris. However, the Democrats’ midterm victories are a reminder that the party’s rising stars should not be ignored, as they will undoubtedly play an important role in shaping what the 2028 race will look like.
Here’s who you need to be aware of as the Democrats prepare to reset Washington:
James Talarico
Talarico’s midterm victory was made even more significant by the margin. He won the state by 12 points, just two years after Trump carried Texas by 14 points, marking a stunning 26-point swing in the Democratic candidate's favor.
His victory may well shape how many Democrats run their campaigns in the future.
Talarico, 37, a Presbyterian minister-in-training, frequently drew on his Christianity and liberal principles in his speeches, while also touting his record of working alongside Republicans as a Texas state representative. Throughout his campaign, he sought to frame the political divide as top versus bottom, rather than along traditional party lines.
“We just showed that a politics of division is no match for a politics of love,” Talarico said in his victory speech in Austin, standing behind a podium that read “Love Thy Neighbour”—a reference to the biblical commandment.
“A lot of Democrats will be turning to his example, to the way he ran, the particular style he used,” Masket says, pointing to Talarico's use of liberal Christianity and his emphasis on bipartisanship. “He's definitely on the bench for Democrats in future cycles.”
Jon Ossoff
Jon Ossoff, delivered one of the strongest Democratic victories in a battleground state, winning re-election and holding the Georgia Senate seat for Democrats, seeing off his Republican challenger Mike Collins.
Masket notes how Ossoff, 39, ran a “very national campaign over this past year” by taking his re-election pitch to younger voters through various podcast appearances. He discussed health care and the importance of young people being engaged in politics with Georgia rapper Killer Mike in September and appeared on comedy podcast The 85 South Show in October, where he addressed the key issues facing Atlanta. His strong criticisms of Trump and his Administration have often gone viral on social media. He also made sure to include appearances on mainstream media in the months leading up to his campaign. In a February appearance on Stephen Colbert’s now-defunct late-night show, Ossoff discussed "The Epstein Class," a phrase he uses to refer to the ultra-wealthy and political elites who, he says, are operating as if the rules don't apply to them.
“He is seen as having turned Georgia, which was considered a very red state until pretty recently, to become competitive, and now he had a very strong Democratic result here with his election,” says Masket, who believes the victory strengthens Ossoff's standing as a potential presidential contender in 2028.
A national polling average from Race to the White House places Ossoff fifth among potential Democratic nominees, at 10.8%. Meanwhile, betting site Polymarket places him first in its market for the party's nomination, giving him a 24% chance of winning.
Ossoff, however, had earlier this year ruled out the possibility of a run for the White House, stating: “I am not running for President in 2028. I have no interest in running for President in 2028.” Even if he doesn’t hold presidential ambitions of his own, his impact on the party and its direction will surely be felt as it chooses its contender for the White House.
Abdul El-Sayed
Abdul El-Sayed, 42, won the Senate race in Michigan against Republican Mike Rogers, becoming the first Muslim Senator in U.S. history.
His election was critical to the Democrats’ flipping control of the Senate and his campaign was hard-fought as he encountered a barrage of personal and Islamophobic attacks from Trump, who baselessly described El-Sayed as a member of the Muslim Brotherhood—an Islamist political movement—and repeatedly ridiculed his name.
“Donald, look, I know you struggled with my name, so after [Vice President] J.D. [Vance] swears me in in January, you could just go on and call me ‘Senator,’” El-Sayed said in his victory speech.
El-Sayed also faced an eleventh-hour setback from his former Democratic primary opponent, Haley Stevens, who endorsed Rogers the weekend before Election Day. The move was strongly criticized by members of the Democratic Party, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies putting his full support behind El-Sayed, who he described as a candidate that “will always put the American people first.”
Despite those challenges, El-Sayed won Michigan, a state Trump had also carried in 2024, by seven points. He ran an unapologetically progressive and anti-establishment campaign, focusing in part on criticism of America's involvement in the Middle East and U.S. support for Israel.
Masket argues that El-Sayed’s influence could make an impact ahead of the 2028 presidential race, particularly in the Midwest.
“He could be a real kingmaker in the Midwest, and an influential person in the Democratic nomination, whose endorsement will matter a lot for a Democrat who wants to win Michigan,” he says.
Keisha Lance Bottoms
Keisha Lance Bottoms, 56, made history after defeating Republican Rick Jackson in the race to succeed term-limited Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. She will become the state's first Black governor and first woman governor, as well as the first Black woman to serve as governor of any U.S. state.
Bottoms served as mayor of Atlanta from 2018 to 2022, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, before taking on several roles in former President Joe Biden's Administration, including as a senior adviser and head of the White House Office of Public Engagement.
As the governor of the Peach State, Bottoms’ influence may prove vital for any candidate running for President, with Georgia being hard fought between Democrats and Republicans.
Georgia backed Trump during his first run to the White House in 2016, but then pivoted to former President Joe Biden in 2020, only to return to Trump in 2024—turning into a bellwether state for the last three cycles.
Bottoms’ victory returns the governor’s office to a Democrat for the first time in over two decades, and will provide the party with a powerful platform in a presidential battleground.
Josh Shapiro
Josh Shapiro, 53, comfortably won re-election as Pennsylvania governor against Republican Stacy Garrity by a margin of more than 20 points in the midterms.
He had a tall task heading into Election Day, with the goal of flipping four congressional seats in the House and retaining a majority in the state House. This was more than achieved with the party flipping four GOP-held seats in the House of Representatives and increasing their majority in the state legislature to at least 111 seats. The party also managed to flip at least three seats of the state Senate, giving them a majority and allowing them to hold a trifecta in the commonwealth state.
Shapiro’s victory further strengthens his standing as the Democrats make plans for 2028, and he is already considered to be a potential contender.
“Shapiro wins [in Pennsylvania] statewide multiple times by very large margins, and that gives him an argument for winning the nomination,” says Masket. “It's an argument for his electability that not a lot of other candidates can claim.”
Shapiro was previously considered a potential running mate for Harris in 2024, but she ultimately selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Still, the fact Shapiro was considered for the role underscored his importance in the Democratic Party and his leading influence in one of the country’s most competitive swing states.
Rob Sand
Rob Sand, 44, defeated Republican Zach Lahn in Iowa's open gubernatorial race, succeeding Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds and becoming the first Democrat elected governor of the state since 2006.
His campaign emphasized his rural roots and his career as state auditor, instead honing in on local issues rather than close identification with the national Democratic Party.
Sand's influence heading into 2028 could come from demonstrating how Democrats can compete beyond their strongest metropolitan areas, as well as from his governing record in a politically divided state.
“Iowa is a state that Democrats had largely written off until pretty recently, as it swung hard toward Trump in the last decade,” Masket explains. “Democrats may be making a real play for trying to win Iowa [in 2028], Sand will be key for that, and they'll be listening to his advice.”
Gina Hinojosa
Gina Hinojosa, 52, is another Democrat who made history Tuesday after defeating three-term Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in Texas.
She will become the first Latina governor of Texas and its first Democratic governor since Ann Richards, who took office in 1991.
Alongside Talarico, Hinojosa could play an important role in Democrats' efforts to make further gains in Texas by helping to mobilize voters.
Masket says “a lot of Democratic candidates will be seeking her out for her advice on how to mobilize voters and how to get people to show up for women and for Latinas.”
Adam HamiltonHamilton is the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from Kansas in 94 years, ending a long dry spell for the Democratic Party. Deep-red Kansas emerged as an unexpected Senate battleground ahead of the midterms, as Hamilton went head-to-head with Trump-backed Republican incumbent Roger Marshall.
In a major upset to the GOP, Hamilton secured 50.9% of the vote to Marshall’s 46.1%, flipping the crucial Senate seat for the Democrats.
Hamilton, the founding and senior pastor of one of the largest United Methodist churches in the U.S., has described himself as both a “liberal” and a “conservative.” He was a Republican for “most” of his life, and has identified with both parties during the past.
“I became a Democrat during the Obama Administration, when he was running, and so for eight years I was a Democrat… I served in his Administration for a couple years, but then I went back to being a Republican,” he told ABC News last month, adding that he’s now proud to be a Democrat once more.
“What matters to me more than the letter behind your name is who you are, what you stand for, your character, and I think there’s a lot of people like that in our state,” he said.
Hamilton, 62, notably won endorsements from two of Kansas’ former GOP governors, Mike Hayden and Bill Graves ahead of the midterms.
Hamilton’s more moderate approach and his eagerness to engage with voters across party aisles could make him a dependable figure for the Democratic Party as it attempts to build on its current momentum.
Pete Buttigieg
Despite not being on the ballot during this midterm cycle, Pete Buttigieg was a fixture on the campaign trial ahead of the midterms, making valuable allies as he stumped for candidates across the country
Buttigieg, 44, who served under former President Joe Biden, spent much of the midterm cycle campaigning across the country for Democratic candidates.
He has built a reputation as one of the party's most effective communicators, both on the campaign trail and through media appearances. Ahead of the 2024 election, he appeared on Jubilee’s Surrounded debate series, where he made the case for the Democratic Party's achievements to 25 undecided voters.
In 2020, Buttigieg became the first openly gay candidate in history to win a presidential primary. He later suspended his presidential campaign to endorse former Biden, but he has since kept the door open to another bid.
“I don’t have any news to make about that right now,” he told WNDU in October, emphasizing his focus on helping Democrats in the midterms. He nevertheless remains prominent in early Democratic nomination polling averages, placing third at 12.5%.