Chris Van Hollen is 'kicking the tires' on a 2028 White House bid
Sen. Chris Van Hollen told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Aug. 23, 2026, that he is "kicking the tires" on a potential 2028 Democratic presidential bid. He said his focus is what Democrats stand for in 2028—not a Senate leadership fight—and that the party must offer a clear alternative to President Trump.
Key Takeaways
- Chris Van Hollen confirmed on "Meet the Press" that he is exploring a 2028 presidential run.
- He has visited Iowa and New Hampshire, historically key early nominating states.
- Van Hollen said his focus is not challenging Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for party leader.
- He argued Democrats need a positive agenda for working people, not a return to the pre-Trump status quo.
- Several other Democrats, including Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris, have also signaled possible 2028 runs.
Why is Chris Van Hollen considering a 2028 presidential run?
Van Hollen told moderator Kristen Welker that Democrats "need to be against the status quo" and have not yet answered how they will build an economy "that really does work for everybody, especially working people." He said that concern is why he has been "kicking the tires" as he looks at 2028.
On Sunday he added that Democrats must be clear "not just what we're against but what we're for," and that he "very much want[s] to be part of that debate." The senator, sworn in in 2017 after more than a decade in the House, has been a prominent critic of the Trump administration and has previously floated a possible run to NOTUS and at the Hill Nation Summit.
Is Van Hollen challenging Chuck Schumer for Senate leader?
Van Hollen's comments came as Welker pressed him on whether he would challenge Schumer for Senate Democratic leader if Democrats retake the chamber this fall. He replied that his focus "is not on majority leader, it's on what Democrats stand for going into 2028."
Speculation about a leadership challenge had circulated after Van Hollen endorsed Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, a physician running as a progressive outsider. El-Sayed has said that if elected he would not support Schumer as party leader and would back Van Hollen instead. Van Hollen did not embrace that scenario on Sunday.
What early states has Van Hollen visited?
Asked to clarify whether "kicking the tires" meant he was thinking about running, Van Hollen noted he has been to New Hampshire and Iowa. New Hampshire will remain an early nominating state in 2028; Iowa was pushed out of the early window that cycle, according to NBC News.
He said there is "a great deal of churning within the Democratic party" and that he supports a "healthy debate" because Democrats have not put forward a clear alternative to Trump's agenda. Policy fights over jobs, health access, and who leads the party often overlap with themes BlasterPost tracks in our Longevity & Biohacking coverage.
Who else might run for the Democratic nomination in 2028?
Van Hollen would enter what NBC and other outlets describe as a wide field with no clear frontrunner. Others who have signaled interest include California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Ruben Gallego, and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Washington Times polling roundups largely show Harris leading early surveys, followed by Newsom, Buttigieg, and Ocasio-Cortez. Van Hollen's entry would add another veteran Capitol Hill voice to that mix.
What did Van Hollen say about democratic socialists in the party?
Welker also asked whether democratic socialists should have a place in the Democratic Party. Van Hollen said "they do, as part of the debate," adding that voters "don't want to simply return to the pre-Trump status quo."
He said platform points from the Democratic Socialists of America—including replacing the president and Supreme Court with officials subordinate to Congress and abolishing the Senate—go "of course" too far for him. He noted that many Democrats running this cycle, including recent Florida primary winner Angie Nixon, have rejected those ideas while still competing within the party.