Republican strategist Karl Rove has praised three Democrats who could be eyeing presidential campaigns, and said they have “elements of a winning formula” needed to retake the White House.
Rove identified Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey and Rahm Emanuel, describing them as “possible Democratic 2028 hopefuls” who are “outliers within their party.”
The GOP commentator, who previously served as a senior adviser and deputy chief of staff to former President George W. Bush, outlined each of their strengths in his latest Wall Street Journal column.
Rove said Beshear has found the right “tone,” and praised his calls for Democrats to be “authentic.”
“Of course in telling Democrats to be authentic, he should come across as such. That’s sometimes a problem for Mr. Beshear. He’s too wooden,” Rove wrote.
Meanwhile, Booker “got the language right,” according to Rove. He pointed to the senator’s comments at the Michigan Democratic Convention earlier this month, during which he asked the audience, “Will you stand together, unified, strong—be the hope that people need?”
Emanuel’s strength is his “compelling, common-sense case for a new Democratic Party,” according to Rove. Emanuel served as Chicago’s mayor from 2011 to 2019, and former President Barack Obama’s White House chief of staff from 2009 to 2010. He was also the U.S. ambassador to Japan under former President Joe Biden.
“He’s running more to the center, offering answers to real problems and criticizing his party for being out of step with middle America. Capturing the right tone matters, but substance does, too,” Rove said of Emanuel.
Rove concluded: “These three are outliers within their party. Fielding fake independents is a bad choice. Democrats still have time to get things right for the midterms and 2028, but less than they think.”
The Independent has contacted Beshear, Booker and Emanuel for comment.
This comes amid growing speculation about the potential 2028 presidential candidates.
Popular Democratic predictions include California Governor Gavin Newsom, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and former Vice President Kamala Harris. On the Republican side, Vice President JD Vance has been seen as a natural successor to Trump — but Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also been seen as a potential contender.
The topic has also become increasingly popular among users of prediction market sites like Kalshi and Polymarket. On both sites, Newsom and Vance are currently the favorites to win their respective parties’ nominations.
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