A number of ambitious politicians eyeing a potential 2028 presidential bid have a crucial decision to make in the next few months: Should they run for Senate or governor seats in 2026?
On the one hand, especially for termed-out governors and former Biden administration officials, a statewide perch provides an opportunity to keep themselves relevant. But it could also require them to take politically risky votes and actions for the next two years. This is especially true for governors whose lack of experience in Washington is an asset rather than a liability. And a loss would almost certainly dim their 2028 appeal.
Then there’s the fact that they would be asking voters to elect them for a term of service that they may not complete. Short tenures in Congress haven’t precluded at least one recent presidential success story — Barack Obama served just four years into his Senate term before winning the White House in 2008.
Though many presidents have once served in the Senate, only three sitting senators have been elected president: Obama, John F. Kennedy and Warren G.
What is The Cook Political Report?
The Cook Political Report is an independent, non-partisan newsletter that analyzes elections and campaigns for the US House of Representatives, US Senate, Governors and President as well as American political trends.
Subscribe Today
Our subscribers have first access to individual race pages for each House, Senate and Governors race, which will include race ratings (each race is rated on a seven-point scale) and a narrative analysis pertaining to that race.