Michigan Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin has indicated she would not rule out a potential presidential campaign in 2028, as Democrats aim to rebuild the party and forge a “different way forward” with emerging leaders.
“I’m not so arrogant as to think it has to be me,” Slotkin told reporters during a recent trip to Iowa. “Midterms is what I’m focused on right now, but if it comes to the point afterwards that I think there’s not anyone else who’s on the right path, I guess I wouldn’t say no forever.”
The 49-year-old senator, who flipped a Republican-held district in 2018 and became one of only four Democrats to win a Senate seat in a state also carried by President Donald Trump in 2024, has been raising her national profile ahead of the next White House race.
Slotkin’s recent appearance in Iowa, where she campaigned for local Democratic voters and plans additional stops in Ohio, has intensified speculation about her political future. She emphasized that while she is currently focused on the 2026 midterm elections, she remains open to a presidential run should no other candidate align with her vision.
Democrats view Iowa as a critical battleground state in 2026, with two competitive U.S. House races, an open Senate seat following Republican Senator Joni Ernst’s retirement, and a governor’s contest that could draw national attention.
After a town hall meeting with Sarah Trone Garriott, a Democrat from Iowa’s third district, Slotkin stated she is “not announcing anything” but clarified her desire to influence the broader national Democratic conversation.
“Do I want to be in that national conversation and push my own party to be better ‘cause I like winning and I don’t like when people who try to destroy democracy are in the White House? Yeah,” she said.
The senator also quipped about the political speculation that often accompanies visits to Iowa: “The minute you try and set foot in Iowa, the people kind of lose their minds a little bit.”
Slotkin argued that Democrats must reconnect with voters in the middle of the country and move beyond the party’s establishment approach.
“This is part of why I think, right now, my value add can be coming back to the middle of the country where I’m from and trying to figure out a different way forward for the Democratic Party,” she said. “The old system, the old guard, it’s just not working for people.”
When asked about the 2028 primary calendar, Slotkin asserted that it would be “malpractice” to delay including a Midwestern state. However, she made clear her preference: “I would get in a cage match with Iowa versus Michigan in order to have that first.”
