Kamala Harris hints at potential return as Democrats look ahead to the 2028 presidential race

Former US vice president Kamala Harris on Friday delivered her clearest signal yet that she may mount another bid for the White House, telling a Democratic audience she is thinking about running in 2028.

Speaking at a convention hosted by civil rights leader Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, the 61-year-old stopped short of a formal declaration but left little doubt she is weighing a third campaign.

The Democrat — defeated in 2024 by Donald Trump in a tumultuous presidential election — was asked if she would run again in 2028 and electrified the crowd of party activists in New York when she replied: “I might, I might — I’m thinking about it.”

Having served four years a “heartbeat away” from the presidency under Joe Biden, Harris said she understands the demands of the job — and argued that the current political and economic landscape is failing many Americans.

“I spent countless hours in my West Wing office, footsteps away from the Oval Office. I spent countless hours in the Oval Office, in the Situation Room. I know what the job is. And I know what it requires,” she said.

Harris has maintained a relatively low profile since her 2024 defeat, but has been easing back into the spotlight with a series of appearances and trips across southern states.

Allies say she remains undecided but is taking steps to preserve the option of a campaign.

The National Action Network event has emerged as an early proving ground for 2028 hopefuls, with Black voters — a cornerstone of the Democratic base — expected to play a decisive role in choosing the party’s nominee.

Harris used the platform to launch a broad critique of Trump’s leadership, telling the crowd: “The status quo is not working, and hasn’t been working for a lot of people for a long time.”

Early polling suggests that she begins the shadow 2028 race with a significant advantage in name recognition. But with several prominent Democrats testing the waters, her path to the nomination — if she runs — is far from guaranteed.

“The American people have right to expect that anyone who wants to run for office and be a leader, that it can’t be about themselves and what they want for themselves,” Harris added.

“It’s got to be about the American people, and that’s how I think of it.”