SouthernWorldwide.com – The National Action Network (NAN) Convention in New York City offered an early glimpse into the potential contenders for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination. Governors Wes Moore and Josh Shapiro, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and Senator Ruben Gallego were among those who attended, but it was former Vice President Kamala Harris who appeared to retain the strong support of the organization’s members as she considers another presidential run.
Harris participated in a discussion with NAN founder and president, the Rev. Al Sharpton, on Thursday. Her appearance garnered significant applause, with one attendee enthusiastically shouting “run again!” which was echoed by the larger audience in a chant.
When questioned by Sharpton about her intentions for a future presidential campaign, Harris responded, “Listen, I might. I’m thinking about it.” She further elaborated on her experience, stating, “I served for four years, being a heartbeat away from the presidency of the United States. I spent countless hours in my West Wing office, footsteps away from the Oval Office. I spent countless hours in the Oval Office, in the Situation Room. I know what the job is. And I know what it requires.”
Several attendees expressed their support for Harris should she decide to run. Adolphus Lacey, pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, where Sharpton is a congregant, stated, “I would support her because I still think that we could use her voice. Her voice is needed for such a time as this, and it shouldn’t be a one-and-done. I mean, some of these people have been running for president all their life. I mean, Donald Trump ran for president three times. I think she did a good job for, what, 101 days running, but if you give her a full time to be able to articulate and earn people’s votes, I think she’ll do well.”
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Patricia Felder, an attendee from Philadelphia, shared her consistent support for Harris, saying, “I supported her before and I will support her again. I think those who haven’t supported her initially regret it.” Felder hopes that if Harris runs again, she will adopt a “bolder” approach.
“I would hope that she comes with a lot more audacity – staying intentional and bold in her messaging, especially, should be easier because a lot of naysayers are now feeling the effects of the Trump presidency,” Felder added.
The current administration under President Trump was a recurring theme throughout the convention, with speakers and attendees expressing concerns about its actions and policies. Dr. Elaine Duvall, an attendee from New York, described the current state of the country as having “a breach in every area you could think of: breaching laws, breaching human rights, breaching voting rights. Everything has been broken. Everything’s been smashed.” Duvall emphasized the need for “a time of reparation. A time of repair. A time of rebuilding.”
Mr. Trump’s handling of the conflict in Iran was a particularly significant point of discussion, with Democratic leaders, including Shapiro and Harris, frequently referring to it as “Trump’s war of choice.” Shapiro stated on Wednesday, “I think we have to acknowledge this was a war of choice by the president of the United States, a war I did not support, and a war where the president never came to the American people and said, ‘this is our objective.'”
In her remarks, Harris highlighted her foreign policy experience and the insights gained during her tenure as vice president. “I met with over 150 world leaders, presidents, prime ministers, chancellors and kings, many of them multiple times, and formed relationships. I have traveled the globe many times over,” Harris said. “One thing that I realized is that the relationship that we have with allied nations, yes, can be forged and reinforced by the leaders, but I will tell you, the true strength of those relationships is the people of those nations. feeling some level of identity and connection with the people of our country and that includes the people in this room.”
Duvall believes Harris possesses the most relevant experience among the potential 2028 contenders who spoke at the convention. “I think more than any other presidential candidate, she was prepared,” Duvall explained. “She was a senator, she was an attorney general of a very large state, she was vice president and as she said here today, she knows the job, she knows what to do. It wouldn’t be on-the-job training.”
However, some attendees indicated that while they acknowledged Harris’s qualifications, they were also keen to hear from other potential presidential candidates. A gentleman from Ohio, when asked about a potential third presidential bid by Harris, commented in the hallway of the Sheraton Hotel, “It is still early.”
A former senior Harris campaign official, speaking to CBS News, suggested that while many Democrats appreciated her historic 2024 run within a constrained timeframe, a segment of the party is ready for new leadership. “People don’t like looking in the rearview mirror,” the former official stated. “She has a steep uphill climb.”
When asked by Politico if the 2028 nominee should be a Democrat who did not serve in the Biden administration, referencing figures like Buttigieg and Harris, Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan remarked, “I think there’s a lot of baggage there.” Slotkin, who has also generated speculation about a potential 2028 run following a recent trip to Iowa, added, “I don’t know if it’s insurmountable, but I know that the strongest feeling I get from a room like this, from being in Columbus, being in Iowa, being in Wisconsin, Idaho, Kansas, is that people want something new.”
Harris is scheduled to hold events in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia in the upcoming week, aiming to solidify support among the Democratic Party’s base of Black voters in the South. This tour further fuels speculation about her commitment to a 2028 presidential campaign.
