Good morning. President Trump is in Beijing. And we have more news below, including a dispatch from a Dutch town hoping for a surge in musketeer tourism. Before we get to it, though: Who’s running in 2028?
A crowded fieldThe next presidential election is more than two years away. But watch in the coming weeks and months when politicians from out of state start showing up in Iowa to give speeches and shake hands. Online and in the circles I travel in, it’ll lead to a knowing smirk: He’s runnin’. Or she is. Folks in the political class are beginning to think about the future, and about how brightly it could shine on them. Reid Epstein, who has covered every presidential campaign since 2008, has kept an eye on the shadow campaigns. He maintains a spreadsheet of every potential candidate for the nation’s top job. And today he’s launched it into the world, a very long list of who might run for president in 2028. (He’ll keep it updated as the months spool along, so it’s worth bookmarking.) Some of the highlights:
Vice President JD Vance isn’t saying much about 2028 right now. His boss is still running the show, and it wouldn’t look good. But he’s styled himself as Trump’s heir for years, and was in Iowa at the start of the month. Then there’s former Vice President Kamala Harris, who probably has the biggest name in the field. That cuts both ways. Many Democrats may hunger for a candidate less tied to President Joe Biden after their disaster with him in 2024.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also in the mix, Vance’s top primary competitor should they both run (or top ally should they run together). He ran for president in 2016. Other cabinet members have already taken runs at the White House, including Doug Burgum, the interior secretary; Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health and human services secretary (he ran as both a Democrat and an independent in 2024); and Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not made a bid for the presidency before, but now that a lot of people know his name, he might want to try.
Pete Buttigieg, the former transportation secretary, has positioned himself as a possible-future-president ever since he ran in 2020. Rahm Emanuel, the former mayor of Chicago, who was an ambassador, has been putting out a lot of policy proposals — and visiting Iowa, too. Gina Raimondo, the former commerce secretary, appeals to donors but is not well known. Mitch Landrieu, the former New Orleans mayor, who served in the Biden White House? He’s said he may run, as well.
A lot of state leaders, of both parties, would like to make the jump to the national stage. Among the Democrats, there’s Gavin Newsom of California, one of the loudest anti-Trump voices. Also the billionaire JB Pritzker of Illinois and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania. And Wes Moore of Maryland has been steadily building a national profile. For the Republicans, it’s possible that Ron DeSantis of Florida could enter the race again. And Greg Abbott of Texas might try for the first time, hopeful that his anti-immigration policies echo nationally. You could see Brian Kemp of Georgia on the hustings, too, along with Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas and Glenn Youngkin, the former governor of Virginia.
Among the Democrats, there are a lot of possibilities. One is Cory Booker of New Jersey, who ran in 2020. Of course, so did Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota (she’s running for governor this year). Mark Kelly of Arizona has national ambitions. And Chris Van Hollen of Maryland has already traveled to Iowa. For the Republicans, look to Ted Cruz of Texas and Rand Paul of Kentucky. They both ran in 2016. And to Tim Scott of South Carolina, who ran in 2024.
You’ve got progressive House Democrats like Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and exiles from Trumpville like Marjorie Taylor Greene. Might Tucker Carlson run for president? Or the sports personality Stephen A. Smith? Donald Trump Jr.? It’s possible! These are just highlights — there are many more hopefuls in Reid’s catalog. Look at all these faces and see who makes the list, and drops off, over the next year or two.
Speaking of politics, Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of John F. Kennedy, holds a narrow lead in a crowded primary for a House seat in New York City. Nicholas Fandos, who’s covering the race, took a close look at Schlossberg’s campaign. Here’s his description of its very first hours: Aides teed up calls with frenzied media outlets, Democratic luminaries and a roster of wealthy donors. The goal was to show that Mr. Schlossberg, a 33-year-old heir known for his good looks and madcap social media musings, was a serious candidate ready for what promised to be a grueling race. But just hours into his Day 1 launch, the candidate abruptly announced a change of plans, according to three people familiar with the events. Forget dialing for dollars — Mr. Schlossberg said he needed a nap. He then effectively disappeared for the day, leaving his team reeling. More erratic behavior and a lot of staff turnover followed. Read Nick’s investigation here.
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How do retailers deliver our online orders so quickly? It’s not a miracle. It’s logistics — lots of warehouses to store all that stuff, and fleets of tractor-trailers to move it all around. A new story looks at how the growing sprawl of concrete and steel is transforming one part of the country. Near Chicago, developers have erected more than 146 million square feet of warehouse space since 2000. And with it comes the trucks: Roughly 20,000 pass through the city of Joliet, Ill., each day, pummeling roads and belching fumes.
Frank Bruni and Bret Stephens discuss Britain’s political crisis. Zain Habboo lost her 6-year-old son to cancer a decade ago. Now she asks: Why is Trump cutting funding for pediatric cancer research? The Times Sale ends soon: Expand your knowledge with our experts. Take advantage of our best offer and gain understanding and insight in every area of life. Just $1 a week for your first year of unlimited access to news, culture, cooking and more.
All for one: A Dutch village hopes that a recently exhumed body thought to be that of Count d’Artagnan, made famous by “The Three Musketeers,” could bring a new surge in tourism. Eating biblically: Some MAHA influencers are promoting a diet made up of foods mentioned in the book. Your pick: The most clicked link in The Morning yesterday was a look at test scores in individual school districts.
7 million— That is roughly the number of applications submitted last year to New York City’s affordable housing lottery, competing for just 10,000 affordable apartments. The odds of winning one is about 0.14 percent.
Soccer: Shakira, Madonna and BTS will headline the first-ever halftime show at a World Cup final. N.H.L.: The league’s top team, the Colorado Avalanche, bounced back from a three-goal deficit and advanced to the Western Conference final with a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild. M.L.B.: The Seattle Mariners star Cal Raleigh took a shower in his uniform in an attempt to shake off a slump. The strategy worked.
David Tanis’s recipe for lemon garlic roast chicken with squash is a flavorful delight. But on a weeknight, you might want to follow my lead and go minimalist, roasting plain chicken thighs over a bed of sliced leeks. I make a miso butter to paint the chicken as it roasts. The combination of that and the fat rendered from the skin brings big, big flavor to the leeks. Squeeze some lemon over the top at the end. If you squint, it looks a lot like David’s dish! |
