Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) signaled openness Wednesday to a potential 2028 presidential run, saying he wants to “be a part of that conversation” as Democrats debate the party’s future direction.
Speaking during a fireside chat with the Rev. Al Sharpton at the National Action Network’s (NAN) annual convention in New York City, Shapiro emphasized the need for Democrats to articulate a forward-looking agenda rather than focus solely on opposition to President Trump.
When asked directly about 2028, Shapiro declined to rule out a White House bid.
Shapiro, who was elected governor in 2022 and is up for reelection in 2026, said his immediate focus remains on his own race and on upcoming midterm elections, which he framed as a broader test of national sentiment.
“As to who’s a candidate at the end of the day, that’s for another day,” Shapiro said of 2028. “But right now, what is critically important is that we have this national referendum in the midterms, and then we have an honest conversation as a party and as a country about what direction we want to go.”
“And I’ll be a part of that conversation,” he added.
Sharpton pressed Shapiro on whether his comments signaled interest in participating in a future presidential primary debate hosted by NAN, which has featured Democratic candidates dating back to 2000.
“What I just heard you say — and, you know, maybe I didn’t get it right — is that you think that you want to be possibly part of our National Action Network 2028 Democratic presidential debate,” Sharpton said.
When Shapiro responded, “I don’t know that I said that,” Sharpton replied, “But you didn’t deny it.”
Shapiro is among a growing field of Democrats who have begun raising their national profiles ahead of a wide-open 2028 primary. Several prominent figures — including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Vice President Kamala Harris — are frequently mentioned as potential contenders.
Many of those figures, like Shapiro, have appeared at high-profile events such as the NAN convention this week, using the platform to sharpen their national messaging and engage with key Democratic constituencies.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Sen. Mark Kelly and Rep. Ro Khanna are among the potential 2028 Democratic candidates who will attend the convention, according to the National Action Network website.
Nearly all of the lawmakers have either expressed interest or have not shut down the idea about running for president. All of them are set to take part in a conversation with Sharpton.
Harris has not closed the door on running for president again, saying in a February podcast interview that she has not yet decided whether she would run again, adding that she might.
Sharpton told POLITICO not to count Harris out, calling her a strong force in the Black community.
“I wouldn’t ignore the fact that she’s absolutely a potent force in the Black community,” Sharpton told POLITICO. “I do not have any idea whether she’s going to try to go again, but I think she’s due all the respect for what she did, and the fact that she got more votes than any presidential candidate in American history, other than Trump. I think she has been ignored, and we’re going to raise that at our convention.”
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