Media Already Obsessing Over 2028 Race While Trump Navigates Second Term

Clear Facts

• Mainstream media outlets are focusing on the 2028 Democratic presidential primary despite the race being 18 months away
• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez leads an AtlasIntel poll at 26%, while Rep. Ro Khanna polls at less than 1%
• President Trump’s latest approval rating sits at 37% in a New York Times/Siena College survey, with two-thirds of respondents critical of Iran policy

The political media is once again getting ahead of itself, crafting narratives about a presidential race that won’t begin for another year and a half. While Americans grapple with real economic concerns and foreign policy challenges, outlets like Axios are already speculating about who will capture the Democratic nomination in 2028.

This isn’t necessarily fiction — it’s based on real reporting. But it represents just one of countless possible angles the media could pursue about a contest that hasn’t even started.

The latest example focuses on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and California Congressman Ro Khanna, with veterans of Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaigns reportedly splitting their allegiances between the two progressives.

THE NARRATIVE BEING CONSTRUCTED

According to Axios, Khanna has positioned himself slightly more moderate than AOC on issues like crime and immigration. He’s hired key members of Sanders’ 2016 campaign, including campaign manager Jeff Weaver, who ran a relatively moderate brand that didn’t shy away from challenging Hillary Clinton.

Meanwhile, Ocasio-Cortez has brought on strategists from Sanders’ 2020 effort, when the Vermont senator moved further left on social issues, backing policies like decriminalizing border crossings by unauthorized immigrants.

The article frames this as “Old Bernie” versus “New Bernie” — a distinction based largely on recruiting little-known political operatives. The supposed news peg was AOC’s recent attack on Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, calling her “a proven bigot and antisemite.”

THE REALITY CHECK

An AtlasIntel survey shows Ocasio-Cortez leading the Democratic field with 26%, while Khanna languishes in tenth place at 0.9%. This massive disparity raises questions about whether the “rivalry” narrative serves more to boost Khanna’s profile than reflect political reality.

There’s also reason to doubt AOC will actually run. She recently stated her interests lie more in pushing agenda items like health care than in holding higher office.

This premature speculation ignores historical precedent. At the end of 2007, Rudy Giuliani led the GOP field, while Hillary Clinton was expected to cruise past Barack Obama, leading him 45% to 27%. In 2003, Howard Dean led with 23%, while John Kerry sat in sixth place at 4%. Kerry won the nomination easily.

TRUMP’S CURRENT CHALLENGES

The media’s rush to focus on 2028 comes as President Trump faces declining poll numbers in his second term. The latest New York Times/Siena College survey shows his approval rating at 37%, with nearly two-thirds of Americans saying the conflict with Iran was a mistake and 64% disapproving of his economic handling.

While Trump won’t appear on the 2028 ballot, his political philosophy and policy agenda will undoubtedly shape the race.

On the economic front, Kevin Warsh’s approval as Fed chair doesn’t guarantee Trump will get his longstanding wish of reduced interest rates. In fact, market analysts suggest the opposite may be necessary.

Ryan Payne of Payne Capital Management told Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business that bond markets are signaling the Fed may need to raise rates to keep inflation in check.

“The bond vigilantes have spoken, and what they’re telling you is the Fed probably has to raise rates here just to keep inflation in check because, clearly, right now we’re pricing in a much different market than we were just two weeks ago,” Payne said.

The media’s fixation on distant political contests while Americans face immediate economic pressures reveals the disconnect between Washington’s political class and everyday concerns. Rather than endless speculation about who might run in 2028, the focus should remain on the policies affecting American families today.

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