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Democratic strategists say 2028 candidate 'has to be a White guy': report
By Lindsay Kornick
Published March 30, 2026
Democratic strategists are reportedly pushing for the 2028 presidential candidate to be a "straight, White, Christian man" after recent losses, an Axios report alleged.
"Some top Democrats are quietly debating a fraught question: whether the party's best bet for winning back the presidency in 2028 is to nominate a man — perhaps a straight, White, Christian man," Axios reported on Sunday.
"Their fear, divulged with dismay in group chats, at cocktail parties and increasingly in public, is that parts of the electorate are too biased to support a woman or other diverse candidate for president," the report continued.
Some Democratic strategists have felt apprehensive after former Vice President Kamala Harris' loss to President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
The report noted that Democratic strategists have become apprehensive after both former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Vice President Kamala Harris lost to President Donald Trump in their respective campaigns, though most of these comments have happened "behind closed doors."
"So not discounting the hundreds of other times men have lost…but is it the right thing to nominate a woman?" a national Democratic strategist told Axios.
Axios acknowledged that this concern would discount several high-profile candidates for 2028, including Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, California Rep. Ro Khanna and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is among the few prominent potential Democratic presidential candidates who could qualify as a straight, White, Christian male. (Gary Miller/FilmMagic)
"Democratic strategists have put it bluntly, with several saying a version of 'It has to be a White guy,'" Axios reported.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Democratic National Committee for comment.
Of the potential 2028 presidential candidates, Axios noted only Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and California Gov. Gavin Newsom qualify as "a straight, White, Christian man."
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The report followed former first lady Michelle Obama's past comments insisting that the U.S. was "not ready" for a woman president.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama repeatedly argued that the U.S. isn't ready to elect a female president. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
"That’s why I’m like, don’t even look at me about running, because you all are lying. You’re not ready for a woman. You are not," she said in November.
Obama doubled down on those comments during a podcast appearance in January.
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"There are men out there that were not [going to] vote for a woman," she said.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/democratic-strategists-say-2028-candidate-has-white-guy-report