Harris invites 2028 speculation with speech in New York to Al Sharpton-hosted event

Former Vice President Kamala Harris is increasingly behaving like a candidate in waiting for the 2028 presidential election. 

Harris — who lost the 2024 presidential election to President Trump — is stepping up her public and online presence, frequently weighing in on the war in Iran, and notably declining to shut down speculation on a future run — even as her allies insist no decision has been made. 

Her anticipated appearance Friday at the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network (NAN) convention is likely to intensify that perception among Democrats already reading the signs. 

“Candidates are very good about pushing people off a scent if they don’t want you to think about a certain thing,” said Democratic strategist Joel Payne. “It does seem like they’re comfortable with people speculating about it and that’s notable for us political watchers.” 

At the Sharpton event, where a string of would-be candidates have been testing their messages and courting Black voters this week, Payne said Harris “will be the center of gravity.” 

Behind the scenes, Harris’s allies quietly agree she’s undergoing “a testing of the waters,” as one put it, especially as the midterm elections loom large over the party and as a void in party leadership still lingers. 

At the same time, one longtime donor said, “She’s a smart woman and also isn’t going to do something fruitless for no reason” if she........

© The Hill