Sharpton's convention spotlights 2028 Democrats, Harris hints at another run

Al Sharpton used his 35th anniversary convention to stage an early test of the Democrats most likely to compete for the White House in 2028, with Black voters at the center of the political calculation. Over four days in New York City, more than a half-dozen potential candidates took the stage before an audience Sharpton plainly wanted to impress, and to measure.

Sharpton said he invited everyone who could run because he wanted to see their vision and what they were doing now. That made the National Action Network gathering the first major informal audition for a field that is already taking shape nearly two years before the first 2028 primary votes. The lineup included Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, California Rep. Ro Khanna, Arizona Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, and former Vice President Kamala Harris.

The convention also underscored how central Black voters remain to any Democratic path forward. Sharpton pressed the candidates on civil rights issues that have defined NAN’s mission for decades, including voting rights and diversity, equity and inclusion. Several speakers framed the stakes in sharper terms, warning that President Donald Trump’s actions and the Trump administration could threaten fair elections and voting access.

Pritzker offered one of the starkest warnings, telling the crowd, “If we don’t have a fair election in November, we won’t have any more elections.” His remarks reflected the broader political tone of the gathering, where candidates were not just introducing themselves but trying to define how aggressively they would confront Trump and defend election access.

Harris drew the strongest crowd response. The room erupted in multiple standing ovations and chants of “run again,” and Harris answered with her most explicit public signal yet that another presidential bid remains possible: “Listen, I might. I’m thinking about it.” For a party still looking for an early standard-bearer, that line carried unusual weight.

Gavin Newsom, one of the party’s most closely watched figures, did not attend because of a previously scheduled family commitment, according to his team. His absence, and the presence of so many other ambitious Democrats, highlighted the risks and positioning now shaping the race for 2028. Sharpton’s convention did not produce a favorite, but it did show which messages landed with a core Democratic constituency and how quickly the next presidential contest is beginning to take form.