The early maneuvering of a dozen-plus Democrats to fill the party’s leadership void has triggered an early frenzy among consultants and operatives scouting a generational talent pool… and a billion-dollar opportunity.
wes moore
At this primordial stage, there are easily two dozen candidates who could reasonably win the Democratic nomination—and presumably, every one of them will need advisors.
Photo: Nathan Howard/Getty Images
Just two months into a new presidency and the 2028 race has already begun—at least in the world of Democratic campaign consultants. The party is so desperate for visible figures who can challenge Donald Trump that up-and-comers are traveling the country like stand-up comedians, workshopping their material at town halls and in interviews. Acting like a presidential candidate this early would be considered amateurish, psychopathically ambitious behavior in any interregnum, but this is 2025. Power abhors a vacuum. Naturally, the Democratic professional class has been monitoring every rally and podcast appearance like talent scouts at the NFL combine.
After all, there is enormous financial upside for campaign consultants who attach themselves early to promising presidential candidates—these are billion-dollar enterprises that throw off tens of millions in fees. And, of course, there is tremendous social value. Everyone in Democratic politics has a Sorkin-ized fantasy of running a winning campaign, with a chief of staff title as their reward. But, typically, the circle of consultants who actually get a shot at working a general election is tight.