A healthy political party teems with ambition. A struggling one can’t even get its own players to step onto the field. The 2028 presidential race will be wide open, yet some Democrats are already taking their names out of the running. When ambition dies this early, it typically signals that expectations have already collapsed. For the party, that’s a sobering and potentially terrifying prospect heading into 2028.
Case in point: the media has been floating Wes Moore as a top Democratic prospect for 2028, but over the weekend, the Maryland governor shut down that speculation, indicating that he wants no part of the conversation.
Appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press” with Kristen Welker, Moore left little doubt about his intentions. Contrast that with Hillary Clinton, who infamously insisted that her Senate seat wasn’t a stepping stone for a presidential run, even though everyone knew otherwise. It’s the same old political playbook: claim that you're laser-focused on the current job, toss out a carefully worded non-denial, and hope voters don’t notice you’re already plotting your next move.
Welker asked whether he planned to serve out an entire second term if he’s reelected next year, and Moore unambiguously said yes.
When Welker pressed if this also meant he was ruling out a 2028 White House bid, Moore didn’t hesitate. “Yeah, I’m not running for president,” he replied.
She reiterated, and he doubled down: “Yes, I’m not running for president.” And when pressing turned into borderline pestering, with Welker asking if he truly meant “completely,” Moore said his full attention is on continuing “the progress” he claims Maryland is making under his leadership.
Moore’s repeated, unambiguous answers tell a story: he wants nothing to do with the 2028 Democratic primary. Once hailed as a rising star, his 2022 election as Maryland’s first black governor was exactly the kind of milestone Democrats celebrate. Yet here he is, already stepping away from a potential presidential run.
This is the reality the Democratic Party now faces: their so-called rising stars either reject the circus entirely or get written off before it even begins. Gavin Newsom may be capturing attention and rising in party circles, but that doesn’t explain why someone like Moore would remove himself from contention so early. If anything, a party desperate for fresh talent should be eager to welcome a young governor with a string of accomplishments. Instead, Moore closed the door three times in a single interview.
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A freshman governor could have been a serious contender in a crowded primary, yet he clearly sees no winning hand, whether for himself or for the party. It’s September 2025, and the Democratic bench is thin. Ambition, the fuel that drives a party forward, is all but absent.
When potential candidates look at the landscape and walk away, it speaks volumes about the party’s prospects. Democrats may dominate headlines, but as 2028 approaches, the reality is that they have no clear heir, no momentum, and no compelling path forward. A party that can’t even get its rising stars on the field is a party in trouble.
