Nov 9, 2026 · 1h 2m
Democrats debate a materialist message and 2028 contenders
11: Who Will Democrats Nominate in 2028? (Crooked Con)
The episode tests whether Democratic gains can become a governing mandate and sketches the party’s emerging presidential field.
- 1Midterm gains reflect anti-Trump sentiment, economic anxiety, cost-of-living concerns, turnout, and persuasion.
- 2The hosts argue Democrats need tangible priorities on healthcare, housing, wages, corruption, and AI regulation.
- 3A speculative 2028 draft favors figures from Jon Ossoff and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to Pete Buttigieg and Wes Moore.
Don't miss
The hosts’ 2028 nominee draft turns an abstract succession debate into a revealing list of favored contenders, while leaving Kamala Harris undrafted.
The brief
Live from Crooked Con, Galen, Claire, and Nate read Democrats’ midterm gains as a mix of anti-Trump sentiment, economic anxiety, turnout, persuasion, and cost-of-living pressure.
The hosts argue that winning power is only the first test: Democrats would need a materialist agenda spanning healthcare, housing, wages, childcare, corruption, and AI regulation.
They debate whether opposition to Trump can carry the party through the midterms, or whether investigations and rule-of-law arguments must sit alongside a broader governing vision.
The 2028 draft produces a revealing spread: Jon Ossoff, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Pete Buttigieg, Josh Shapiro, Raphael Warnock, Gavin Newsom, Mark Kelly, and Wes Moore.
The missing name is Kamala Harris, whose omission prompts a final question about whether Democrats want continuity or a deliberate break with recent politics.
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