Ruben Gallego Of Arizona

The Issue Of Age And Potential Democratic Presidential Contenders In 2028

Ronald 7 Comments

The issue of age is a consideration as Democrats plan for the upcoming Presidential nomination process for the Presidential Election of 2028, once the Midterms in November are resolved.

With the last two Presidents being the oldest nominees and Presidents in American history, and the reality of signs of aging that have been exposed about both Joe Biden and Donald Trump, age is definitely an important consideration.

So this author and blogger has done research into the present age of the list of 25 potential contenders discussed two days ago on this blog.

Of course, the age of all 25 will increase by three years until the inauguration on January 20, 2029, so that is a consideration beyond the momentary statistics at this point of time.

Presently, there are two potential contenders who are in their late 30s–Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (36) and Jon Ossoff (39), so Ocasio-Cortez would still be under age 40 at the time of the inauguration, while Ossoff would be early 40s at nearly age 42, still in either case, the youngest President in American history.

Six of the potential Presidential contenders are presently in their 40s, bringing back the memory of John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. Presently, they are Pete Buttigieg (44), Ruben Gallego (46), Wes Moore (47), Andy Beshear (48), Elissa Slotkin (49), and Ro Khanna (49). Of course, by Inauguration Day 2029, only Buttigieg and Gallego will still be under 50.

Eight of the potential Presidential contenders are presently in their 50s, including Jared Polis (50), Josh Shapiro (52), Chris Murphy (52), Gretchen Whitmer (54), Cory Booker (56), Raphael Warnock (56), Josh Green (56), and Gavin Newsom (58). All would still be under the age of 60, except Newsom, on Inauguration Day 2029.

Finally, nine of the potential Presidential contenders are presently in their 60s, including Mark Kelly (61) Kamala Harris (61), JB Pritzker (61), Jon Stewart (63), Jamie Raskin (63), Adam Schiff (65), Rahm Emanuel (66); Chris Van Hollen (67), and Mark Cuban (67).

So both Chris Van Hollen and Mark Cuban would be past the age of 70 on Inauguration Day, and Adam Schiff and Rahm Emanuel would reach age 70 during their four year term in office.

It is likely some of this long list of 25 contenders will end up not announcing, but this analysis of age is enlightening for discussion!

Speculation Begins On Potential Democratic Presidential Contenders

Ronald 6 Comments

It is nine months until the Midterm Elections of 2026 for Congress, and state and local government.

But already, speculation has begun on who might run for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 2028, and the list is long, and not just the usual speculated candidates.

Among those assumed to be likely to run are, in no special order:

Former Vice President Kamala Harris
California Governor Gavin Newsom
New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer

But beyond these much speculated potential candidates, there is a much longer list of others, in no special order:

Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy
Maryland Governor Wes Moore
Former Chicago Mayor and Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel
California Congressman Ro Khanna
New Jersey Senator Cory Booker
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear
Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff
Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin
Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego
Billionaire Entrepreneur Mark Cuban
Arizona Senator Mark Kelly
Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin
Hawaii Governor Josh Green
Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock
Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen
Comedian and Political Commentator Jon Stewart
Colorado Governor Jared Polis
California Senator Adam Schiff

So the total potential list is at least 25 candidates, and who knows, if someone not on this list joins the fray!

There are 8 Governors on the list; 9 US Senators; 3 House members; two former Mayors and Cabinet members or Ambassadors; two outside government leaders; and former Vice President Kamala Harris.

And the list is extremely diverse in nature, including:

4 Women
6 White Male Christian
2 Latinos
4 African Americans
1 Hindu
11 Jews
2 Gays
2 Outside of Government

Essential To Have Younger Voices Advance In Democratic Party

Ronald 8 Comments

If the Democratic Party is to recover from the defeat in the Presidential Election of 2024, and the losing of seats in the US Senate races of 2024, it is essential that younger voices be advanced in the party structure and leadership.

With a few members of the party in both houses of Congress deciding to retire in 2026, this is the time for “new blood” to play a major role in the future.

So in the House of Representatives, this includes such members as:

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York
Jasmine Crockett of Texas
Maxwell Frost of Florida
Ro Khanna of California
Robert Garcia of California
Joe Neguse of Colorado
Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania
Greg Casar of Texas
Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts

and includes such members of the Senate as:

Ruben Gallego of Arizona
Chris Murphy of Connecticut
Jon Ossoff of Georgia
Cory Booker of New Jersey
Andy Kim of New Jersey

The call by Democratic National Committee Vice President David Hogg, who is just 25 years old, for a youth movement in the party in future elections, and the advancement of younger members of the party in Congress, makes total sense!

Democratic Party Positives In 2024 Elections

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The Presidential and Congressional Elections of 2024 produced some significant positives for the Democratic Party, despite Donald Trump’s close victory for the Presidency, and gaining of 53 seats in the US Senate and about the same tiny margin in the US House of Representatives that the Republicans already had.

Trump’s margin of victory was smaller than that of Joe Biden or Barack Obama, and Trump’s victory was less impressive than any election since the late 19th century Gilded Age. He was NOT anywhere near the landslides of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936, Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, Richard Nixon in 1972 or Ronald Reagan in 1984, but Trump is trying to claim otherwise.

Also, each of these landslide victories led to a loss of seats in the following midterm elections for the President’s party, so there is hope for the future of the Democratic Party in 2026 and 2028.

Also, Democrats were able to retain control of Senate seats in four “swing” states that Trump won–Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, and Wisconsin, while losing the Senate seat in Pennsylvania.

North Carolina, despite going to Trump, elected an entire Democratic state government team, including Josh Stein, who is Jewish, as Governor.

Also, Matt Meyer, who is Jewish, was elected Governor of Delaware.

And despite attacks by Republicans on “diversity”, the Democrats were able to win or hold Senate seats with other than white straight Christians, as witness the following:

Arizona–Ruben Gallego–Hispanic male–elected to open Senate seat

Nevada–Jacky Rosen, Jewish female, reelected

Michigan–Elissa Slotkin, Jewish female, elected to open Senate seat

California–Adam Schiff, Jewish male, elected to open Senate seat

Wisconsin–Tammy Baldwin, Lesbian, reelected

New Jersey–Andy Kim–Korean American male–elected to open Senate seat

Delaware–Lisa Blunt Rochester–African American female–elected to open Senate seat

Maryland–Angela Alsobrooks–African American female–elected to open Senate seat

A Major Turnover In 119th Congress To Occur!

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A major turnover is coming in the 119th Congress, which will meet from January 2025-January 2027.

Already, eight Senators and 43 House members are not running for reelection, and turnover by defeat is likely in many other cases.

Among the US Senators who are retiring are the following:

Mitt Romney of Utah
Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona
Joe Manchin of West Virginia
Ben Cardin of Maryland
Debbie Stabenow of Michigan
Tom Carper of Delaware

At least 11 Democrats and 14 Republicans are leaving the House of Representatives.

Additionally, a few well known individuals ran for the Senate and have been eliminated, specifically Katie Porter and Barbara Lee in California, while Adam Schiff is on the way to likely Senate membership after ending up first in the California Senate primary.

Dean Phillips of Minnesota chose to challenge Joe Biden in a lost cause, and is leaving the House as a result.

Elissa Slotkin in Michigan; Alex Mooney in West Virginia; Colin Allred in Texas; Andy Kim in New Jersey; and Ruben Gallego in Arizona are among those leaving the House of Representatives to run for the US Senate seats in their states.

A lot more turnover is likely, as many other incumbents face the possibility of defeat this November.

Super Tuesday Results In Vermont, Arizona And North Carolina Positives For Democrats In Upcoming National Elections In November!

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The Super Tuesday election results were predictable, with both Joe Biden and Donald Trump performing well.

But Trump has some major negatives moving forward, including:

Nikki Haley winning Vermont and DC, and taking about a third of all votes in a number of other state primaries, a sign of Republicans who are not likely to support Trump in November. Since Trump did not ever have a majority of popular votes in 2016 or 2020, he can ill afford to lose the Haley votes, but it will be hard for him to gain that, while facing 91 indictment counts!

The decision of Independent Kyrsten Sinema to give up reelection to the Senate in Arizona makes the Senate race a direct battle between MAGA Republican Kari Lake and Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego, with Lake being a flawed candidate who already lost the gubernatorial race in 2022 to Governor Katie Hobbs.

The nomination of MAGA Republican Mark Robinson to oppose state Attorney General Josh Stein in North Carolina for the Governorship is another burden for Republicans to bear, realizing that Stein won two races for Attorney General in 2016 and 2020 when Trump was on the ballot in the state in his two Presidential runs.

Both Arizona and North Carolina are crucial states in the Presidential Election of 2024, and Democrats have just gained an edge in both states!

Kyrsten Sinema Becomes Independent, 11th Since The 17th Amendment Passage In 1913!

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Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona announced today that she is becoming an Independent, making for three Independents, all of whom will still caucus with the Democratic Party.

The other two Senators are Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine, who have been Independents in the Senate for 16 years and 10 years respectively.

Altogether, Sinema becomes the 11th US Senator since the passage of the 17th Amendment in 1913, calling for popular vote for the Senate, to become an Independent for a substantial period of time.

Sinema is unreliable in her vote, with an early progressive background two decades ago, but much more conservative once she came to the House of Representatives in 2013, and the US Senate in 2019.

But on most matters, the Democrats are in a better position with 51 Senators including three Independents than the present 50 Senators and two Independents.

It is clear that the Arizona Senate race in 2024 will be a three way race, of Independent Sinema, Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego (who was planning to challenge her for the nomination), and a Republican opponent.

So Sinema could keep her Senate seat theoretically with less than a majority of the vote in a three way contest!

A Great Advantage For Democrats In Senate In The 118th Congress!

Ronald 3 Comments

With the gain of one seat by Democrats in the US Senate, the political equation changes dramatically!

Now there will be one more Democrat on every Senate committee, rather than an even number.

No longer will Vice President Kamala Harris be needed regularly to break Senate ties.

No longer will it be essential that both Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona be in on every vote, and with both of them facing reelection in 2024.

It will be easier to gain judicial confirmations, very important for the future of the courts, and were a Supreme Court Justice leave the Court, it could create a more balanced Court.

If there was a vacancy or party switch, the Democrats would still control the Senate.

Legislation will be easier to pass the Senate, although it likely would fail to gain support of the narrowly majority Republican House of Representatives.

Finally, keeping the control of the Senate will be very difficult in 2024, as only 10 seats are Republican controlled, and will be hard to gain, so the Democrats have to work to find a way to avoid more than a one seat loss.

Some of the Republicans running for reelection in 2024 are particularly despicable, and Democrats need to find viable candidates to fight them, and hopefully, defeat them, including

Ted Cruz of Texas
Rick Scott of Florida
Josh Hawley of Missouri
Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee

It is time to start recruitment of Democrats in Texas, Florida, Missouri, and Tennessee to attempt to gain at least one or two Republican seats in 2024!

At the same time, at least 3 Democratic Senators are likely to have a rough time in 2024, including Manchin and Sinema, along with Jon Tester of Montana, and Sinema is likely to have an intraparty battle with Ruben Gallego, 7th District Congressman.