Progressive Democrats Divided Over Who Will Lead Movement After Bernie Sanders Rules Out 2028 Run
Sen. Bernie Sanders has indicated he will not run for president in 2028, leaving progressives uncertain about who will carry forward his political movement. Potential successors include Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ro Khanna, both of whom have been visiting early primary states, though neither has committed to a 2028 campaign. The question of Sanders's heir matters because it will shape the direction and leadership of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party heading into the next presidential cycle.
Senator Bernie Sanders appears to have ruled out a 2028 presidential run, prompting speculation about who will lead the progressive movement within the Democratic Party. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ro Khanna are frequently mentioned as potential successors, with both having made recent visits to important primary states like South Carolina and Georgia. However, both lawmakers have downplayed the idea of being Sanders's direct heir, with Ocasio-Cortez stating she wants to be "the first me" rather than the next anyone, and Khanna arguing that Sanders's movement will be carried by multiple candidates across different offices. Other progressive Democrats, including Reps. Pramila Jayapal, Jasmine Crockett, and Andre Carson, expressed reluctance to anoint a single successor, with some calling for the primary process to play out organically. Joseph Geevarghese, executive director of Sanders's Our Revolution organization, emphasized that no single candidate has a lock on the progressive base and suggested there could be surprise candidates.
What different sources said
- Washington ExaminerRight
No heir apparent: Progressives split over who carries Bernie Sanders’s torch in 2028
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