Op-Ed: Democrats' Vacancy at the Top May Last Till 2028

Not only are Democrats out of the White House, but Jim VandeHei argues for Axios that they're also missing something more basic: a clear party standard-bearer. And they might not get one until the next presidential primary campaign really kicks in—around Super Tuesday 2028. VandeHei assesses the party's top figures are either weakened, constrained, or uninterested in leading the broader Democratic coalition, leaving a vacuum between its insurgent left and traditional liberals. He sketches a leadership structure with issues.

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin is expected to be pushed out in the face of the party's financial troubles; Rep. Hakeem Jeffries could become House speaker but may lack both a large majority and an appetite to define the party nationally; Sen. Chuck Schumer faces a shaky future, including potential pressure from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, whether she eyes his Senate seat or the presidency. Barack Obama still has national clout but prefers to operate behind the scenes. All that, VandeHei writes, makes Bernie Sanders an unusually influential 2028 kingmaker, a dynamic that could favor Ocasio-Cortez. He also notes Democrats' optimism about a friendlier 2028 Senate map. VandeHei's full piece can be found here.