While political analysts and commentators are talking about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Gavin Newsom, JB Pritzker, Josh Shapiro, and Kamala Harris as possible Democrat presidential candidates for 2028, one must not overlook the slow and steady rise of Ro Khanna in left-wing politics.
Ro Khanna has been gaining attention of some careful observers. Some view Ro Khanna as a moderate politician, while others recognize him as a far-left strategist seeking more power.
Ro Khanna’s ambitious nature is coming to the forefront, through his actions in recent years. He is a calculative politician who does not immediately start off as the frontrunner in a political race but slowly builds up momentum. I think Khanna is a long-term planner.
It was in September of 2022 that Ro Khanna visited Madison, Wisconsin, to speak at an event. Madison is far away from the 17th congressional district of California that Khanna represents. In 2024, Khanna visited Eau Claire, in northwest Wisconsin, to speak to college students. I believe that he has been sowing the seeds of a presidential run over time. In fact, Khanna is scheduled to visit Wisconsin again, in September.
Furthermore, Ro Khanna has inserted himself into the gubernatorial race in Wisconsin, by supporting socialist candidate Francesca Hong. In doing so, he may be trying to increase his visibility in the presidential battleground state of Wisconsin.
However, increased enthusiasm can also lead to political miscalculations. Ro Khanna made a serious mistake by endorsing Democrat Graham Platner in the United States Senate race in Maine. Some would call it a complete absence of good judgment. After the scandal-plagued Platner dropped out, Khanna said, “I got that call wrong.”
It is quite clear that Khanna is likely to speed up his outreach and get more involved in the politics of other states to try to build up a nationwide network of Democrat allies as the presidential election year of 2028 gets closer.
To defeat the Democrats in 2028, the Republicans must pay close attention to Ro Khanna and his political moves. They must point out Khanna’s association with socialism. The Republicans must tell the voters, loudly and clearly, that socialism is the pathway to economic devastation. The Republicans have to tell the voters that any politician who supports socialism must be rejected.
Ro Khanna may prove to be a serious opponent during the upcoming 2028 presidential election season. The Republicans must focus on defeating Ro Khanna, if he decides to run for president.