Potential Democratic Candidates#
Andy Beshear#
State: Kentucky
Current Position: Governor of Kentucky since 2019 and Chair of the Democratic Governors Association.
Past Career: Attorney General of Kentucky 2016 2019 and private attorney
PACs: In This Together PAC C00864785 raised $4.3M in 2025 and Andy Beshear Brotherhood of Approval PAC C00767202
IE Total: Not yet filed for 2028 cycle and PAC focused on distributing to candidates nationally and two donors gave $400K each.
Lobby Total: Not prominently tracked and Beshear has positioned himself as outside Washington and independent of lobbying networks.
Andy Beshear is a two-term Democratic governor of Kentucky a state Trump won by 30+ points making him a rare Democrat who has won three consecutive statewide victories in deep-red territory. Son of former Gov. Steve Beshear he built his profile on crisis management during COVID-19 and tornado recovery. He created In This Together PAC after his 2023 re-election raising $4.3M in 2025 and began visiting early primary states in late 2025 with most observers expecting a formal 2028 announcement.
Cory Booker#
State: New Jersey
Current Position: U.S. Senator from New Jersey since 2013 and running for Senate re-election primary June 2026
Past Career: Mayor of Newark NJ 2006 2013 and Newark City Council 1998 2002 and attorney and law clerk
PACs: Cory Booker for Senate C00540500 and no dedicated 2028 presidential PAC yet and prior 2020 presidential campaign raised ~$10M before withdrawal
IE Total: Not yet applicable for 2028 cycle and focused entirely on 2026 Senate reelection
Lobby Total: Securities and investment industry contributed $2.2M+ in 2013 2014 Senate cycles and lobbyist contributions tracked by OpenSecrets
Cory Booker rose to national prominence as mayor of Newark before winning a special Senate election in 2013 and briefly running for president in 2020. In April 2025 he delivered the longest floor speech in Senate history 25 hours 5 minutes protesting the Trump administration significantly boosting his national profile. He told Fox News during a New Hampshire visit in late 2025 that he has not ruled out a 2028 presidential run though he remains focused on his 2026 Senate reelection.
Pete Buttigieg#
State: Indiana
Current Position: Private citizen and political figure and former Secretary of Transportation 2021 2025 and polling at 20% in early NH Democratic primary surveys
Past Career: U.S. Secretary of Transportation 2021 2025 and Mayor of South Bend IN 2012 2020 and U.S. Navy Reserve intelligence officer deployed Afghanistan 2014 and management consultant McKinsey and Company
PACs: Win the Era PAC C00697441 leadership PAC he founded in 2020 now independently operated by Swati Mylavarapu and raised $15M for Biden-Harris in 2024
IE Total: No 2028 IE filings yet and no active personal PAC as of May 2026
Lobby Total: Minimal personal lobbying contributions on record and OpenSecrets revolving-door profile exists
Pete Buttigieg became the first openly gay cabinet secretary confirmed by the Senate when he led the Department of Transportation overseeing the historic $1.2 trillion infrastructure law. He ran in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary and won the Iowa caucuses. In early 2026 he held town halls in Iowa and appeared in New Hampshire polling at the top of the Democratic field and has said he will assess what he brings to the table regarding 2028.
Rahm Emanuel#
State: Illinois
Current Position: Partner Centerview Partners investment banking and CNN commentator and Washington Post columnist and exploring 2028 presidential run
Past Career: U.S. Ambassador to Japan 2022 2025 and Mayor of Chicago 2011 2019 and White House Chief of Staff under Obama 2009 2010 and U.S. Representative IL-5th 2003 2009 and Clinton White House Senior Advisor and Political Affairs Director 1993 1998 and director of finance Clinton 1992 campaign
PACs: Draft Rahm Emanuel for President 2028 independent grassroots PAC created by Chicago businessmen publicly disavowed by Emanuel and no personal PAC as of May 2026
IE Total: N/A and no formal 2028 campaign structure in place
Lobby Total: Not a current officeholder and lobbying contribution tracking not applicable in the same manner as sitting legislators
Rahm Emanuel is one of the most experienced political operators in the Democratic Party having served as a top Clinton White House aide and three-term congressman and Obama’s first chief of staff and two-term Chicago mayor and U.S. Ambassador to Japan. He stepped down from the ambassadorship in January 2025 and has since embedded himself in media and finance while publicly floating a potential 2028 presidential campaign. He has described the Democratic Party as needing to recalibrate toward the center and has been critical of both parties in his post-ambassador commentary.
Ruben Gallego#
State: Arizona
Current Position: U.S. Senator from Arizona since January 2025 and first Latino U.S. Senator from Arizona and one year into his six-year term
Past Career: U.S. Representative AZ-7th 2015 2025 and Arizona State House of Representatives 2011 2014 and U.S. Marine Corps infantry combat tour in Iraq 2005 Lima Company 3/25 Marines unit suffered heavy casualties and Harvard College graduate
PACs: Juntos PAC leadership PAC raised $110015 per 12/31/2024 FEC report and 2024 Senate campaign raised $13.18M total
IE Total: PAC activity relatively modest at present and no 2028-specific IE filings
Lobby Total: Tracked by OpenSecrets and not yet significant for 2026 cycle
Ruben Gallego is a Harvard-educated Marine combat veteran and progressive Democrat who won the 2024 Arizona Senate race flipping the seat from independent Kyrsten Sinema territory. He is one year into his Senate term and has publicly stated he is looking at a 2028 presidential run citing his ability to connect with Latino voters and win in purple states. He has three children and cites family considerations as a key factor in any decision.
Josh Green#
State: Hawaii
Current Position: Governor of Hawaii since December 2022 and running for reelection in 2026 and only sitting U.S. governor who is also a practicing physician
Past Career: Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii 2018 2022 and Hawaii State Senate 2008 2018 and Hawaii State House 2004 2008 and emergency room and family medicine physician Big Island National Health Service Corps 2000 present reduced role as governor
PACs: Heal America PAC launched January 2026 raised ~$500000 in 2025 and top donor DHL Mahi Associates ProspectHill Group gave $150000 and oriented around pro-science candidates opposing RFK Jr.’s health policies
IE Total: No 2028 presidential IE filings yet
Lobby Total: No significant lobbying contribution profile at the national level
Josh Green M.D. is the only physician currently serving as a U.S. governor having practiced emergency and family medicine in rural Hawaii for over 20 years alongside his political career. He raised the possibility of a 2028 presidential run in August 2025 citing a platform centered on healthcare and housing affordability. He launched Heal America PAC in January 2026 and has pledged to complete his gubernatorial term while seeking reelection in 2026.
Kamala Harris#
State: California
Current Position: Private citizen and political figure and overseeing Fight for the People PAC and polling at ~19% among Democrats in early 2026 surveys
Past Career: 49th Vice President of the United States 2021 2025 and 2024 Democratic presidential nominee and U.S. Senator from California 2017 2021 and California Attorney General 2011 2017 and San Francisco District Attorney 2004 2011 and Deputy District Attorney Alameda County
PACs: Fight for the People PAC launched December 2025 raised $16.08M January 2025 March 2026 per FEC and $17.55M disbursed and DNC purchased her donor list for $6.5M
IE Total: No 2028 presidential IE filings yet and 2024 presidential campaign received hundreds of millions in outside IE support from aligned groups
Lobby Total: Not a current officeholder and career contributions from lobbyists tracked by OpenSecrets through 2024
Kamala Harris made history as the first woman and first Black American and first person of South Asian descent to serve as Vice President. She won the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination after President Biden withdrew but lost the general election to Donald Trump. She launched Fight for the People PAC in late 2025 signaling continued national political engagement and is widely discussed as a potential 2028 candidate.
Mark Kelly#
State: Arizona
Current Position: U.S. Senator from Arizona since 2020 and up for reelection in 2028 and has accumulated $33M in campaign funds more than any other senator facing 2028 reelection
Past Career: U.S. Navy aviator 25 years and 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm and retired as Captain and NASA astronaut 4 space shuttle missions and 20M+ miles traveled and author and co-founded Giffords PAC with Rep. Gabby Giffords after 2011 Tucson shooting
PACs: Liftoff PAC C00785816 leadership PAC raised ~$497401 Jan Sept 2025 and The Liftoff Fund joint fundraising committee C00843250 raised $478500 in 2024 cycle
IE Total: No 2028 presidential IE filings yet and $33M campaign war chest could be repurposed for a presidential run under federal law
Lobby Total: Not a dominant lobbying-funded candidate by profile and fundraising driven largely by small and large individual donors
Mark Kelly is a decorated combat pilot and astronaut who became a senator after his wife Rep. Gabby Giffords survived the 2011 Tucson mass shooting. He flipped Arizona’s longtime Republican Senate seat in 2020 and won reelection in 2022. Trump clashes in 2026 and a fundraising boom have elevated his national profile with observers noting he could go from Space Shuttle commander to commander-in-chief.
Ro Khanna#
State: California
Current Position: U.S. Representative CA-17th Silicon Valley district since 2017 and fundraising roughly 50% higher in 2024 cycle than 2022 and $10M+ cash on hand
Past Career: Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce Obama administration 2009 2011 and adjunct professor Stanford University economics and law and adjunct professor Santa Clara University School of Law and attorney and failed 2014 congressional bid vs. Mike Honda
PACs: None and co-founder of the No PAC Caucus 2017 with Beto O’Rourke and Jared Polis and accepts zero corporate PAC or lobbyist money by formal pledge
IE Total: N/A and no outside PAC structure and relies exclusively on individual donors
Lobby Total: $0 accepted from lobbyists by formal policy and one of only a handful of members to maintain a strict no-lobbyist-money pledge
Ro Khanna represents Silicon Valley and has positioned himself as a progressive populist focused on economic nationalism and technology policy and anti-war foreign policy. He co-founded the No PAC Caucus in 2017 refusing all corporate PAC and lobbyist money while accumulating over $10M cash on hand from individual donors. In 2025 2026 he held town halls in Republican-held districts and visited early presidential primary states fueling speculation about a 2028 bid.
Wes Moore#
State: Maryland
Current Position: Governor of Maryland since January 2023 and Maryland’s first Black governor and announced reelection bid and publicly ruled out 2028 presidential run on NBC’s Meet the Press
Past Career: CEO Robin Hood Foundation 2017 2021 and investment banker Deutsche Bank London and Citigroup New York and White House Fellow 2006 and U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division deployed Afghanistan 2005 and Rhodes Scholar Oxford M.A. international relations and author of The Other Wes Moore 2010
PACs: No formally announced 2028 presidential PAC and associated with Democratic Governors Association served as Finance Chair 2022 and reelection campaign fundraising ongoing
IE Total: N/A and no 2028 presidential ambitions formally declared
Lobby Total: Not prominently tracked and has not served as a Washington legislator
Wes Moore became Maryland’s first Black governor in 2023 winning in a landslide and immediately drawing national attention as a potential 2028 candidate. An Army combat veteran and Rhodes Scholar and former CEO and bestselling author Moore has a compelling personal story and is seen as a generational talent. He has publicly ruled out a 2028 presidential run instead announcing his reelection bid for governor though political observers note he left some wiggle room in his language.
Gavin Newsom#
State: California
Current Position: Governor of California since 2019 and 2nd term ends January 2027 and leading Democratic 2028 polls at ~21% and term-limited and unable to seek a third term
Past Career: 49th Lieutenant Governor of California 2011 2019 and Mayor of San Francisco 2004 2011 and San Francisco Board of Supervisors 1997 2004 and businessman and entrepreneur PlumpJack Group wine shops and restaurants and hotels
PACs: Campaign for Democracy PAC C00836320 leadership PAC raised $10.59M in the 2023 2024 cycle and $3.9M by mid-September 2025 and ~$7.7M cash on hand at end of 2025
IE Total: No formal 2028 presidential IE yet and Campaign for Democracy distributes to Democratic causes nationally
Lobby Total: OpenSecrets records lobbyist contributions and PAC has accepted donations from a firm that promises clients it can win California state contracts
Gavin Newsom is California’s term-limited governor and the most prominent Democratic presidential aspirant as of early 2026 leading polls at ~21% among Democrats. He has been aggressive in directly challenging Trump including traveling to China for diplomatic visits and appearing on Fox News for primetime debates. He has said he will decide on a 2028 run after the November 2026 midterms and his national PAC is one of the best-funded among potential 2028 candidates.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez#
State: New York
Current Position: U.S. Representative NY-14th Bronx and Queens since January 2019 and largest individual fundraising base of any House member and $9.8M cash on hand mid-2025
Past Career: Bartender and waitress supporting family after father’s death and community organizer Bernie Sanders 2016 volunteer organizer South Bronx and educational director National Hispanic Institute and staffer and volunteer Senator Ted Kennedy’s office
PACs: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for Congress C00639591 raised $15.4M in H1 2025 alone and accepts zero corporate PAC money by policy and no leadership PAC by principle
IE Total: N/A and no corporate PAC contributions accepted and Vanity Fair reports she is reluctant to run but has not ruled it out
Lobby Total: $0 from lobbyists by policy and one of the most consistent no-PAC and no-lobbyist members in Congress
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the most high-profile progressive in the House elected at age 29 in 2018 after upsetting 10-term incumbent Joe Crowley. She has the largest individual fundraising base of any House member raising $15.4M in H1 2025 alone. She polls at 15% in early New Hampshire Democratic primary surveys and she and her team are positioning for either a 2028 presidential run or a Senate primary challenge against Chuck Schumer.
Jon Ossoff#
State: Georgia
Current Position: U.S. Senator from Georgia senior senator since 2021 and running for Senate reelection primary May 19 2026 and youngest sitting U.S. senator and first senator born in the 1980s
Past Career: Managing Director and CEO Insight TWI London-based investigative TV production company 2013 2021 and National Security legislative staffer for Rep. Hank Johnson 2007 2012
PACs: Jon Ossoff for Congress C00630426 prior campaign committee and PACs account for only ~1% of his Senate fundraising and no leadership PAC and 53% small donors and 34% large donors
IE Total: N/A and has explicitly stated zero interest in a 2028 presidential run
Lobby Total: Minimal lobbying contributions and not a dominant feature of his fundraising profile
Jon Ossoff is the youngest sitting U.S. senator and the first born in the 1980s to serve in that body winning his Georgia Senate seat in the January 2021 runoff that gave Democrats Senate control. He gained national attention in 2026 for viral anti-Trump Senate floor speeches and briefly surged in presidential prediction markets. He explicitly stated he has zero interest in running for president in 2028 warning it would distract from midterm priorities.
JB Pritzker#
State: Illinois
Current Position: Governor of Illinois since January 2019 and seeking a rare third term and estimated net worth $3.9B Forbes August 2025
Past Career: Managing Partner Pritzker Group Private Capital venture capital and private equity and co-founded Chicago Ventures and backed Techstars Chicago and Chair Illinois Human Rights Commission 2003 2006 and failed 1998 congressional bid IL-9th and heir to the Hyatt hotel fortune
PACs: Distributes broadly through Illinois Future PAC $5M in Q1 2026 and House Majority PAC $1M in May 2025 and Senate Majority PAC $1M in Oct 2024 and DNC $250K in Dec 2025 and DCCC and DSCC and also $10M to super PAC for IL Senate nominee Juliana Stratton primary 2026
IE Total: Massive as a donor rather than a recipient and $16M+ donated to Democratic groups in 2024 2026 and previously self-funded $350M+ in 2018 and 2022 governor races combined
Lobby Total: Not prominently tracked as a recipient and does not rely on lobbyists for fundraising and exploring outside fundraising for 2028 rather than full self-finance
JB Pritzker is an heir to the Hyatt hotel fortune and one of the wealthiest elected officials in U.S. history. He has been one of the most aggressive anti-Trump Democrats delivering fiery speeches on fascism at Dartmouth and other venues and has been quietly building a national political network through massive donations. Unusually 2026 reports indicate he is exploring ways to raise outside money rather than fully self-finance a presidential run.
Josh Shapiro#
State: Pennsylvania
Current Position: Governor of Pennsylvania since January 2023 and running for reelection 2026 and 60%+ approval rating in PA and frontrunner in most early 2028 Democratic presidential polls
Past Career: Pennsylvania Attorney General 2017 2023 prosecuted Catholic Church sex abuse scandal and Member Pennsylvania House of Representatives 2005 2013 and Montgomery County Board of Commissioners 2012 2017 and attorney
PACs: No dedicated national leadership PAC and active reelection campaign raised $23.2M in 2025 with $30M+ cash on hand at end of 2025 and outraised GOP opponent Garrity 10 to 1 in Q1 2026
IE Total: N/A at presidential level yet and 2028 strategy centers on a PA midterm sweep before declaring
Lobby Total: Donors include major CEOs with Pennsylvania business interests per Philadelphia Inquirer March 2026
Josh Shapiro is widely viewed as one of the strongest potential 2028 Democratic candidates due to his ability to win in Pennsylvania a critical Electoral College state Trump carried in 2024. A former attorney general who built his profile prosecuting the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal Shapiro has a 60%+ approval rating in PA. His 2028 strategy centers on engineering a Democratic sweep of Pennsylvania in the 2026 midterms to prove he can deliver the battleground state.
Elissa Slotkin#
State: Michigan
Current Position: U.S. Senator from Michigan since January 2025 and one of only four Democrats to win a Senate seat in a state Trump also won in 2024
Past Career: U.S. Representative MI-8th 2019 2025 and Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs 2015 2017 and State Department and DoD policy roles under Obama and National Security Council Iraq portfolio Bush administration and CIA analyst 3 tours in Iraq alongside military and Columbia University graduate studies
PACs: No corporate PAC money accepted by policy and associated with Majority Democrats PAC for candidate support and no personal leadership PAC and campaign fundraising robust in 2024 Senate race
IE Total: N/A and refused corporate PAC money throughout her political career
Lobby Total: Refuses corporate PAC and lobbyist money and fundraising driven by small and mid-size individual donations
Elissa Slotkin is a former CIA analyst who served three tours in Iraq before entering Congress in 2019 by flipping a Republican-held Michigan seat. She won her 2024 Senate race in a state Trump also carried a rare achievement positioning her as a candidate with proven crossover appeal in the Midwest. She visited Iowa in April 2026 and told reporters she would not rule out a 2028 presidential run citing the need for Democrats who understand working-class and moderate voters.
Gretchen Whitmer#
State: Michigan
Current Position: Governor of Michigan since January 2019 and second term ends January 2027 and term-limited with a direct runway to a presidential campaign
Past Career: Michigan Senate Majority Leader 2011 and Michigan State Senator 2006 2011 and Michigan State Representative 2001 2006 and Ingham County prosecutor and attorney
PACs: Fight Like Hell PAC C00842104 leadership PAC raised $8.85M in the 2023 2024 cycle and gave $265900 to federal candidates and raised $1.8M in H2 2023 alone and major donors include Cargill and JB Pritzker
IE Total: No 2028 presidential IE filings yet and PAC is one of the most active Democratic leadership PACs in the current cycle
Lobby Total: Tracked by OpenSecrets and not a dominant feature of her fundraising profile
Gretchen Whitmer won reelection as Michigan governor in 2022 and championed a successful ballot initiative enshrining abortion rights in the Michigan Constitution. She is term-limited and will leave the governor’s mansion in January 2027 with a direct runway to a presidential campaign consistently polling as one of the top three Democratic 2028 contenders alongside Newsom and Pritzker. Her Fight Like Hell PAC has been one of the most active Democratic leadership PACs in the current cycle.
Potential Republican Candidates#
Ted Cruz#
State: Texas
Current Position: U.S. Senator from Texas since 2013 and Chair Senate Commerce Committee and won close 2024 Senate reelection over Rep. Colin Allred D
Past Career: Solicitor General of Texas 2003 2008 appointed by AG Greg Abbott and Associate Deputy Attorney General U.S. Department of Justice and Director of Policy Planning FTC and private litigator and law clerk U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit and Chief Justice William Rehnquist and Harvard Law graduate
PACs: Jobs Freedom and Security PAC C00536540 leadership PAC raised $3.48M in 2023 2024 cycle and Ted Cruz Victory Fund C00849778 and raised ~$1.86M from PACs broadly in 2019 2024
IE Total: Significant IE spending by outside groups in his support during 2024 cycle and building podcast and radio infrastructure for 2028 small-dollar fundraising
Lobby Total: Career total from lobbying industry is notable given Commerce Committee role and finance and regulatory industries tracked by OpenSecrets
Ted Cruz is a Harvard Law graduate and former Supreme Court clerk who became Texas’s first Hispanic U.S. Senator in 2013. He ran for president in 2016 finishing second to Donald Trump and has been positioning for another 2028 run by staking out a pro-interventionist traditional conservative lane distinct from MAGA populism. He has been attending donor retreats and hosting a top-ranked podcast and radio show to build small-dollar donor infrastructure.
Ron DeSantis#
State: Florida
Current Position: Governor of Florida since January 2019 and term-limited and leaves office January 2027 and reportedly being considered for Trump Cabinet positions
Past Career: U.S. Representative FL-6th 2013 2018 founding member of the Freedom Caucus and U.S. Navy JAG Corps officer deployed Iraq 2007 as legal advisor to Navy SEALs and Bronze Star recipient and federal prosecutor and Lt. Commander Navy Reserve retired 2019 and Yale undergrad and Harvard Law
PACs: Never Back Down Inc. C00834077 major super PAC for 2024 presidential campaign dissolved after raising $100M+ and Friends of Ron DeSantis state-level PAC raised $146M combined 2019 2024
IE Total: Never Back Down and aligned groups made massive IE expenditures in 2023 2024 and Ron DeSantis for President raised $45.1M in 2023 2024 cycle before campaign collapsed
Lobby Total: Tracked by OpenSecrets and contributions across agriculture and real estate and other sectors during Florida tenure
Ron DeSantis was widely seen as the leading 2024 Republican alternative to Donald Trump before a disastrous campaign led him to drop out after the Iowa caucuses in January 2024 and endorse Trump. A Yale-educated Harvard Law-trained Navy veteran DeSantis built a national profile through aggressive culture-war policies in Florida. He is term-limited as governor in January 2027 and has not ruled out a 2028 run.
Kristi Noem#
State: South Dakota
Current Position: Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas Trump administration since March 2026 and formerly 8th U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security January 2025 March 2026
Past Career: Governor of South Dakota 2019 2025 and first female governor of South Dakota and U.S. Representative SD at-large 2011 2019 and South Dakota State House of Representatives 2007 2011 and family farm operator and business owner
PACs: Kristi PAC leadership PAC formed 2011 and Draft Kristi Noem for President PAC C00827709 independent draft effort from 2024 cycle and ~$35M career total across all elections
IE Total: Not yet applicable for 2028 cycle and political future uncertain following DHS removal
Lobby Total: Tracked by OpenSecrets and primarily agriculture and energy sectors given South Dakota base
Kristi Noem was the first female governor of South Dakota and served as Trump’s Secretary of Homeland Security from January 2025 overseeing immigration enforcement. She was removed from the DHS position in March 2026 by President Trump who appointed her as Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas a newly created Western Hemisphere security initiative. She was considered for the VP slot in 2024 and speculation now centers on a possible South Dakota Senate run in 2026.
Marco Rubio#
State: Florida
Current Position: 72nd U.S. Secretary of State since January 2025 and central figure in Trump’s foreign policy during the 2026 Iran conflict
Past Career: U.S. Senator from Florida 2011 2025 and 2016 Republican presidential candidate and Speaker Florida House of Representatives 2006 2008 and Florida House of Representatives 2000 2008 and City Commissioner West Miami 1998 2000 and attorney and Cuban-American born and raised in Miami
PACs: Reclaim America PAC leadership PAC active during 2016 presidential run and Senate years and Pro-Israel America PAC was top PAC contributor at $109800 and career Senate fundraising 54% large individual and 36% small individual and 5.46% PAC contributions
IE Total: Major IE support during 2016 presidential run from outside groups and finance and defense industries prominent in career contributions
Lobby Total: Finance and real estate and securities industries prominent and OpenSecrets tracks career lobbying contributions through Senate tenure
Marco Rubio is a Cuban-American from Miami who became one of the most prominent figures in Republican politics after his 2010 Senate victory and 2016 presidential run. He was appointed Secretary of State by Trump in January 2025 and has been a central figure in Trump’s foreign policy. Rubio has publicly said he would back JD Vance if Vance runs in 2028 but Trump reportedly polled Mar-a-Lago donors who overwhelmingly supported Rubio for 2028.
J.D. Vance#
State: Ohio
Current Position: 50th Vice President of the United States since January 20 2025 and winner of CPAC 2028 presidential straw poll with ~53% support March 2026 second consecutive year
Past Career: U.S. Senator from Ohio January 2023 January 2025 2 years served and co-founder and Managing Partner Narya Capital venture capital Cincinnati 2019 2022 and Partner Mithril Capital Peter Thiel’s VC firm and attorney corporate law and U.S. Marine Corps 2003 2007 military journalist and public affairs and author of Hillbilly Elegy 2016 Netflix film 2020 and Ohio State University and Yale Law School
PACs: Protect Ohio Values super PAC for 2022 Senate run received $15M from Peter Thiel record-setting for a Senate primary and co-founded Rockbridge Network secretive conservative donor summit 2019 with major 2028 donor cultivation underway
IE Total: Massive IE support in 2022 Ohio Senate primary and no formal 2028 IE filings yet as VP and widely considered the clear 2028 Republican frontrunner
Lobby Total: Not applicable as VP and prior career was entirely in private sector venture capital and publishing
J.D. Vance grew up in poverty in Appalachian Ohio served in the Marines graduated from Ohio State and Yale Law School and wrote the bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy. Backed by Peter Thiel’s $15M he won the 2022 Ohio Senate race and served less than two years before being selected as Trump’s running mate. He won the CPAC 2028 presidential straw poll for the second consecutive year in March 2026 with ~53% support and is widely considered the clear 2028 Republican frontrunner.
Glenn Youngkin#
State: Virginia
Current Position: Private citizen and political figure and gubernatorial term ended January 17 2026 and Virginia law prohibits consecutive gubernatorial terms and appeared at Iowa GOP events mid-2025 and SC Silver Elephant Gala.
Past Career: Governor of Virginia 2022 2026 and Co-CEO and President The Carlyle Group global private equity 1995 2020 and estimated net worth $400M+ and M.B.A. Harvard Business School 1994 and B.A. Rice University 1990.
PACs: Spirit of Virginia state-level leadership PAC his main political vehicle raised nearly $30M since 2021 and top donors include Thomas Peterffy $3M and Jeff Yass $2M and raised $2.2M following October 2023 donor retreat.
IE Total: No federal 2028 presidential IE filings yet and building national donor network through Spirit of Virginia and private events.
Lobby Total: Not applicable and background is private equity not lobbying and ran and governed without traditional lobbying industry support.
Glenn Youngkin is a former Carlyle Group executive who won the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial race as a political first-timer defeating incumbent Democrat Terry McAuliffe in a state Biden had won by 10 points. His suburban-friendly and education-focused conservative brand was seen as a model for post-Trump Republicanism. After his term ended in January 2026 he immediately began hinting at a political comeback with observers expecting a 2028 presidential run.