Doug Bauman ‘29
Staff Writer
Throughout the past two presidential administrations, we’ve consistently seen the executive branch make decisions that, in my view, have disrespected the office of the presidency. During the Biden administration, officials repeatedly attempted to hide the President’s declining ability to fulfill the duties of the office through his limited public appearances. During the first 2024 presidential debate, the country was shocked by how bad the president had gotten. During this current administration, I continue to see actions that are beneath the office of the presidency. From the Presidential Walk of Fame filled with partisan comments and criticism, to replacing the portrait of President Biden with an auto-pen, and attempting to remove media from the White House and the Pentagon. The list goes on. Not to mention the CONSTANT comments on social media. It’s about time we have a presidential election with new candidates in the hopes of restoring the dignity that should come with office. We need someone to make the presidency presidential again.
If there is one takeaway from these midterm elections, it’s that the campaigns for the 2028 presidential election will be chaotic—and I can’t wait to witness it. With Trump unable to run again and Biden no longer being a realistic contender, we will finally have an election with fresh faces. It will probably focus entirely on affordability, and the winner will have to hit their opponent hard on economic issues because social issues matter a whole lot less when the economy sucks. On the Democratic side, the race for the nomination is practically wide open. For Republicans, a lot of people expect Vice President Vance, but I still think the nomination isn’t guaranteed. Honestly, I have no idea who will receive each nomination, but I have a pretty good idea of what it might take for a candidate to secure it, and perhaps even the big seat too. However, depending on the party, the strategy will have to be incredibly different.
Democrats still need to determine what path the future of the party will take before they pick a nominee. Will they move further left, towards their more progressive and socialist leaning members, or will they move towards the middle and attract more moderate voters? In my view, they have to choose a candidate who is a lot more moderate than your typical establishment Democrat. Too often do progressive politicians promise popular ideas like universal healthcare without any evidence of how to accomplish them, and just criticizing the president won’t do it anymore. Trump is not the candidate on the ballot in 2028, and any smart Republican candidate will remind the voters of that. The Democrats need someone who isn’t afraid to criticize their own party, but more importantly, someone who can clearly lay out policies they intend to pursue and explain how they will implement them. One possibility is Andy Beshear. He is well known for his bipartisanship and his pragmatism through his tenure as the Democratic governor of the solid red state of Kentucky. He could be the candidate the party needs.
The Republican path depends on the state of the current administration heading into the election. If the current problems continue, typical Republican candidates will struggle to defend them. While Vance is the expected frontrunner, I’m not convinced he will run, as he has four young children, one of them being a newborn. If he doesn’t, Marco Rubio becomes the next biggest contender. Nevertheless, both candidates have the same problem. I can see either of them winning the nomination, but they are linked too closely to the questionable positions of the administration as Vice President and Secretary of State to win the general election.
Republicans need a nominee who can distance themselves from the president, showing the party won’t just pick a Trump successor. Specifically, someone who isn’t afraid to attack other candidates connected to the administration. Two possibilities I see for this scenario are Nikki Haley and Thomas Massie. Even though Haley stated she wouldn’t run (which hasn’t stopped politicians before), she has made sure to stay out of the public eye after she lost the primary against Trump in 2024. She was amazing in the debates, which is how she was able to get that far in the primary, and she attracted the moderate voters of the party. Massie could work as well because he has shown that he isn’t afraid to criticize the administration; he has nationwide recognition, and he appeals to more libertarian voters. Will any of this happen? Very unlikely. Would I like it to? Absolutely. I really just hope that whoever wins the presidency brings back the dignity of the office. This role should be about leadership and a vision for the country’s future, not social media attacks, personal vendettas, and partisan politics.
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