DeSantis aides warn Democratic governors on timing a 2028 presidential bid

In the weeks following the November 2024 midterm elections, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s team started dropping hints to Democratic governors who may be eyeing a 2028 run. The message is clear: the lessons learned from DeSantis’s own 2024 campaign—launched in May 2023 and abandoned in January 2024—should guide the next wave of hopeful presidents.

The governors most frequently mentioned in the conversation are Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Wes Moore of Maryland, JB Pritzker of Illinois, and Andy Beshear of Kentucky. All four are in the early stages of a second term and have already surfaced in Democratic circles as potential national candidates.

DeSantis’s 2024 bid began after a landslide reelection in November 2022. He entered the Republican primary in May 2023, but the field was dominated by former President Donald Trump, who had announced his own campaign in November 2022. Trump’s early attacks on DeSantis, combined with the governor’s focus on state policy and a new book, left DeSantis behind in the national race.

"In this atmosphere, you can’t be president by just being a great governor and boasting about your legislative wins," said Ryan Tyson, a Republican pollster and former senior adviser to DeSantis. Tyson’s comment captures the lesson that DeSantis’s aides believe Democratic governors should heed.

A former DeSantis aide added that the governor’s conservative legislation had diminishing returns after the 2023 state session. "There were diminishing returns for DeSantis passing conservative legislation because of his preexisting, extensive record," the aide said. "If a Democratic governor waits to announce a 2028 run, they would need new policy achievements to attract media attention or address potential vulnerabilities."

The 2028 Democratic primary will differ from the 2024 Republican contest in several ways. DeSantis’s 2024 campaign was against a still‑popular Trump, and Trump’s legal indictments had rallied GOP voters behind him. Trump also launched negative attacks on DeSantis in paid and earned media before the Florida governor entered the race.

If a Democratic governor declares a presidential bid before their state’s legislative session ends, they risk criticism from rivals and from state legislators who may see the governor as distracted from local issues. "Ambitious state legislators could hold up bills and criticize newly elected governors for focusing on national politics just months after winning reelection," the Axios article notes.

Axios asked Shapiro, Moore, Beshear and Pritzker whether they had committed to finishing their state legislative sessions before announcing a presidential run. None of the governors answered directly. Shapiro’s spokesperson, Manuel Bonder, said: "While we appreciate team DeSantis taking a break from banning abortion and rigging our democracy to offer unsolicited advice, I'll repeat what the governor has made clear: The midterms run through Pennsylvania, and the only thing we are focused on is winning up and down the ballot this November."

The advice from DeSantis’s aides is a reminder that timing matters. A late entry could give opponents a head start in shaping the national narrative, while an early entry could distract from state responsibilities. For governors who are already in the spotlight, the decision will likely be made in the months following the midterms.

As the 2028 election cycle begins to take shape, the political community will watch how each governor balances state duties with national ambitions. The experience of DeSantis’s 2024 campaign provides a cautionary tale: a well‑timed announcement, coupled with fresh policy achievements, may be essential for a successful transition from governor to presidential candidate.