Many political figures from both parties have increased their profile in 2024 and are poised to become key voices in their party in 2025 and beyond.
Democrats took a big hit in 2024, in a year that saw President Biden drop out of the political race and be replaced by Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who lost the Electoral College and the popular vote in November. Going forward, several Democrats are expected to fill this leadership void before the midterms.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro
Shapiro was widely considered the strongest vice presidential candidate to join the Harris ticket this summer, and Harris He received criticism For her decision to choose Walz instead. Shapiro, viewed by some as a moderate, has been governor since January 2023 and will face re-election in 2026 before any possible run in 2028.
These are the Democrats who may ultimately run for president in 2028
Rising stars are expected to emerge at both ends in 2025. (Getty Images)
Pennsylvania's 19 electoral votes make it a key state in a presidential election, making Shapiro's position as governor of that state an attractive attribute for any presidential candidate.
“He's probably going to be the biggest winner on election night,” said Mike Manzo of Triad Strategies. ABC 27 said last month. “If the 2026 midterms turn out to be bad for Republicans, (Shapiro) is at the top of the ticket for Pennsylvania. And, you know, if he runs away with that next January, he's in Iowa.”
House Representative Pat Ryan
Ryan, who represents New York's 18th Congressional District, was considered one of the most vulnerable incumbents before the November election but defeated his Republican challenger by 14 points in a swing district.
Since the election, Ryan has been one of Most are outright Democrats On the subject of what went wrong for his party in November.
“First of all, if you're using the words 'moderate' or 'progressive,' you're missing the whole damn point,” Ryan Written on X. “It's not an ideology. It's about who fights for the people versus who empowers and enables the elites.”
“More importantly, I told people exactly who was ripping them off, and I stopped it locally. It's billionaires and big corporations making record profits while the rest of us struggle.”
Josh Shapiro (Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images)
“It is not enough to throw these apparently disparate policies at people,” Ryan wrote. “We must articulate a unifying principle, and tell people clearly who is wrong. For me, it was freedom and patriotism. The fault lies with the same elites, in both parties, who have run this country for a while.” “Very long.”
Senator-elect Angela Alsobrooks
Albrooks, who previously served as chief executive of Prince George's County on the outskirts of the nation's capital, defeated popular Republican Larry Hogan by 11 points in a Maryland Senate race, becoming the first Black candidate to win a Senate race in Maryland.
Albrooks campaigned extensively on gun control and abortion and received clear support from women, black and Latino voters, urban voters and college graduates over Hogan, according to AP VoteCast, a comprehensive poll of more than 3,700 voters in the state. Although Albrooks underperformed Vice President Harris among suburban and moderate voters, a majority supported her over Hogan in the heavily blue state.
“Sometimes we struggle together, working to build a better future for all of our children,” Alsobrooks said after her win in November. “And to the Marylanders whose support I have not yet won, I may not have won your vote, but I want you to know that I hear your voice, and I will be your senator, too.”
Maryland Governor Wes Moore
Maryland Governor Wes Moore is also believed to be a rising voice in the Democratic Party after being elected as the state's first black governor in 2022.
Moore, a Johns Hopkins University graduate and Rhodes Scholar, served as a captain in the Army before spending time as an investment banker and has Same name “A moderate social and strong fiscal conservative.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom (AP Photo/Steven Sen)
It was Moore's leadership It thrust him into the national spotlight This year when a container ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the Port of Baltimore, causing a collapse that killed six construction workers.
In a Share on X After the disaster, Moore said: “We are strong in Maryland. We are strong in Baltimore. In the face of danger, we persevere. In the face of heartbreak, we band together, and we come back stronger. That's what we've always done, and that's what we will continue to do.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom
While Newsom is no political newcomer, he is expected to be one of the top candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028 after establishing himself as one of the best alternatives to Biden and Harris during the last presidential cycle.
Newsom, who has served as California's governor since 2019, is term-limited once his current term expires in January 2027.
Republicans will enter the new year in control of the White House and Congress as the party prepares for four years of Trump's leadership, while other Republicans will rise to become party leaders as attention turns to determining the votes that will shape the party in the Senate. The coming years during Trump's term and beyond.
J.D. Vance, R-Ohio (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Vice President-elect J.D. Vance
Vance, 40, will be the front-runner for president in 2028 given his position as Trump's vice president, and is expected to be one of the most prominent voices in the Republican Party over the next few years.
“The vice president will be in Catbird's seat. There's no question about it,” Dave Carney, a longtime Republican consultant, told Fox News Digital last month. Carney, a veteran of several Republican presidential campaigns Over the past four decades, he said Vance “is the guy to beat.”
David Kuchel, another GOP strategist with significant presidential campaign experience, told Fox News that Vance is the front-runner because of “the size and scope of last week's victory and the implicit passing of the torch from Donald Trump.”
House Representative Byron Donalds
Donalds, who has represented Florida's 19th Congressional District since 2019, was one of Trump's top surrogates in the 2024 election campaign and many believed he was on the short list of vice presidential candidates.
The Florida congressman has been an outspoken voice on newscasts promoting Trump's agenda, and also one of the most prominent voices Push back Against media attacks on Trump, often appearing on liberal networks that defend the president-elect in hostile environments.
Donalds served on the Financial Services Committee and the Committee on Government Oversight and Accountability in the 118th Congress and was a member of the Congressional Blockchain Caucus, the Freedom Caucus, and the Republican Study Committee.
Senator-elect Bernie Moreno
Cleveland-area businessman Bernie Moreno finished Democrat. Sen. Sherrod Brown's 17-year Senate term ended in November in a state Trump carried by 11 points.
Since being elected to the Senate, Moreno has established himself as one of Trump's most loyal allies and was the first new senator to hold the position. Defend and support openly He selects Trump's Cabinet and is expected to be one of Trump's top representatives in Congress.
Moreno, a proponent of term limits, has pledged to serve only two six-year terms in the Senate.
Representative-elect Ibrahim Hamadeh
Hamadeh previously served as a prosecutor and Army intelligence officer before being elected to represent Arizona's 8th Congressional District in November.
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Vivek Ramaswamy, president and co-founder of Strive Asset Management, center, arrives to meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill on December 5, 2024. (to Drago)
The 33-year-old, born to Syrian immigrants, has been a vocal supporter of Trump and his “Make America Great Again agenda.” He told Fox News Digital Last month, he said he and his fellow Republicans “will hit the ground running with something very historic in the first 100 days.”
Hamadeh is scheduled to serve on both the Veterans Affairs Committee and the Armed Services Committee in the 119th Congress.
“I am honored to serve on the Veterans Affairs and Armed Services committees, two assignments I intentionally pursued because veterans and the military deserve leaders who will fight for them,” Hamadeh told Fox News Digital in a statement about his committee assignments. “Putting America first starts with defending our country and honoring our veterans and their families.”
“Throughout my campaign, I made a promise to put veterans' issues at the forefront of our national priorities, and today, I'm proud to keep that promise. This is a 'promises made, promises kept' moment as I lead the charge to honor our military leaders, support those who have served our nation, and ensure “For our veterans to receive the care and respect they have earned, serving those who served us is not only my duty, it is a privilege.”
Former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy
Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur whose net worth is believed to be around $1 billion, burst onto the political scene in 2023 after running in the 2024 presidential race before withdrawing in January 2024 and quickly becoming the Trump campaign's main surrogate.
Ramaswamy is set to co-lead the government's Department of Efficiency, along with Space
The 39-year-old native of southwest Ohio has been floated as a contender to replace Ohio's outgoing governor. Mike DeWine and Ramaswamy did not rule out this possibility and said they were open to considering it.
Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
