Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville is already looking ahead to the 2028 presidential race, and he is not mincing words about who he believes should, and should not, lead the party’s ticket.
In an interview with Fox News contributor Raymond Arroyo, Carville said former Vice President Kamala Harris would have “no chance” of winning the presidency if she decides to run again. Instead, he placed his confidence squarely behind Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, describing him as the Democrat he would choose “if I were betting the Kentucky Derby.”
Carville framed his analysis around what he called two critical questions for any Democratic hopeful. First, can they “raise a lot of early money”? He argued that regardless of how primary calendars are structured, the race tends to move quickly once it begins, rewarding candidates who can immediately tap into deep donor networks.
He pointed to Pritzker, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro as leaders of large states who already have established fundraising operations and national donor bases. Of the three, Carville singled out Pritzker as his top pick, praising his aggressive campaigning style and recent clashes with President Donald Trump over the deployment of National Guard troops in Chicago.
Carville also emphasized the importance of winning the Black vote in a Democratic primary, suggesting that coalition-building would matter more than ideological purity. “Politics is not about being pure,” he said. “It’s about winning, and winning is its own cause.”
When asked about Harris, Carville said Democrats are wary of revisiting the 2024 campaign, when Harris became the party’s nominee after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race just 107 days before Election Day. “No Democrat wants anything to do with anybody that had anything to do with 2024,” he said.
Carville also expressed skepticism about a potential run by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, though he acknowledged she has “talent.”
While no Democrats have formally announced 2028 plans, early speculation and polling have already elevated figures such as Harris, Newsom and Pritzker as potential contenders.
