Senator Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., said she is not ruling out a potential 2028 White House bid but remains focused on helping Democrats secure the House and Senate in the upcoming midterm elections.
Slotkin, a former CIA analyst who previously served in the House after flipping a Republican-held seat in Michigan in 2018, was asked about a presidential run while visiting Iowa this week to stump for local Democrats.
"I'm not so arrogant as to think it has to be me," Slotkin told the Des Moines Register. "Midterms are 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."
During a town hall event, Slotkin lamented the divisive politics in Washington, noting she has heard from voters across the country about their disappointment in the partisan divide.
"I want to win in November," Slotkin said at the event, as reported by The Associated Press. "That means being honest about where the Democratic Party needs to go."
What the Left Is Saying
Progressives and some Democrats have welcomed Slotkin's willingness to consider a 2028 bid, viewing her as a potential standard-bearer who can appeal to swing voters in key Midwestern states.
Slotkin's national profile has grown since she narrowly won her Senate seat in Michigan, a battleground state that proved critical in recent elections. Her frequent opposition to certain Trump administration policies has positioned her as a vocal critic within the party.
In her interview with the Des Moines Register, Slotkin urged Democrats not to forget Midwestern states like Michigan, citing the state's electorate and potential for early voting. "I would get in a cage match with Iowa versus Michigan in order to have that first [primary slot]," Slotkin told the Register. "I'm not going to lie and say, like, I'm going to give it over to Iowa when really I want it to be Michigan."
Some progressive activists see Slotkin's emphasis on Midwestern states as a strategic vision for rebuilding the Democratic coalition after recent electoral challenges.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservatives have criticized Slotkin's political positions and her recent actions, particularly her participation in a video urging military service members to resist what Democrats called "illegal orders" from the Trump administration.
President Donald Trump accused the six Democrats who participated in the video, including Slotkin, of sedition. The Justice Department has initiated an investigation into the matter.
Republicans have pointed to Slotkin's progressive voting record and her opposition to Trump administration policies as evidence of a leftward shift that could hurt her in a general election, even within swing states.
Conservative commentators have also questioned whether Slotkin's potential presidential bid represents a continuation of what they characterize as the Democratic Party's move away from moderate voters.
What the Numbers Show
Slotkin first entered Congress following her 2018 election to the House, where she flipped a Republican-held seat in Michigan's 8th District against former U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop, winning by about 13 percentage points.
She won her 2024 Senate race in Michigan by a narrow margin, securing victory in a state that Trump carried in 2024.
Michigan is one of several key swing states that will be critical in the 2028 presidential election, with early voting and voter mobilization likely to play significant roles in determining outcomes.
The 2026 midterm elections will determine control of both the House and Senate, with Democrats seeking to regain majority status in at least one chamber.
The Bottom Line
Slotkin's refusal to rule out a 2028 presidential bid signals her ambitions beyond the Senate, while her immediate focus on the midterms reflects the traditional political calculus that success in 2026 could bolster a future presidential campaign.
Her emphasis on Midwestern states like Michigan and Iowa suggests a strategic approach to rebuilding the Democratic coalition in regions that have shifted in recent elections.
The ongoing DOJ investigation into the video involving Slotkin and five other Democrats remains a political liability, with Republicans framing the matter as inappropriate interference in military command structure.
What to watch: Whether Slotkin actively campaigns across key primary states before the midterms, and how her positions on issues like defense and national security resonate with both progressive and moderate Democratic primary voters.