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By Gabe Whisnant
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After chants of “run again!” rang through the auditorium, former Vice President Kamala Harris told a roomful of African American activists on Friday that she is actively considering another presidential bid.
“I might. I am thinking about it,” Harris told the Rev. Al Sharpton after he asked directly whether she planned to run for president in 2028.
Her comments came during the National Action Network’s annual convention, where more than a half‑dozen prospective Democratic contenders appeared this week in an early effort to build support among Black voters — one of the party’s most reliable and influential blocs.
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The Democratic presidential primary season will not formally begin until after November’s midterm elections, but the four‑day gathering underscored how the competition for 2028 is already taking shape. While no clear early front‑runner has yet emerged, Harris appeared to be the standout at Sharpton’s conference.
Harris, the nation’s first Black female vice president and the Democratic Party’s 2024 presidential nominee, received the week’s only standing ovation and drew the largest crowd of any potential 2028 candidate. Sharpton noted that Harris earned more votes in her unsuccessful 2024 campaign than former Democratic presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.
“Whatever she decides to do, she made a point in history,” Sharpton said.
Kamala Harris Signals Early Engagement With Key Democratic Voters
Harris’ scheduled appearance at the National Action Network convention underscored her continued engagement with Black voters as Democratic leaders quietly begin positioning for the 2028 presidential race. Harris, the party’s most recent presidential nominee, has kept her future plans deliberately vague, but her presence at the gathering placed her alongside a growing field of potential contenders seeking credibility with one of the party’s most influential voting blocs.
The convention, led by Rev. Sharpton, has long functioned as an early proving ground for Democratic hopefuls. Harris’ appearance Friday came amid heightened concern among party leaders over voting access ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, a theme that dominated speeches throughout the week and provided a natural bridge between present‑day advocacy and future presidential ambitions.
Voting Rights Warning Shapes Harris’ Message
While Harris has avoided overt campaign language, her allies say the former vice president remains deeply focused on democracy protections — an issue that aligns closely with warnings raised by other Democrats at the conference. Speakers repeatedly cautioned that actions taken by the Trump administration threaten to restrict access to the ballot, particularly in communities of color.
That framing allows Harris to occupy familiar terrain. As vice president, she was tasked with addressing voting rights and election integrity, and she has continued to reference those efforts since leaving office. The emphasis on voting access also places her in step with Democratic governors and members of Congress who argue the 2026 midterms could determine the trajectory of democracy well before 2028.
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A Crowded Democratic Field Begins to Take Shape
Harris has raised the possibility of another presidential run before in the roughly 15 months since leaving office. She recently launched a political action committee and has traveled across the country to support Democratic candidates, particularly in the South.
At the same time, some Democrats have begun looking toward a new generation of leaders after Harris’ struggles during the last presidential contest.
The convention’s speaker list reflected that generational mix. In addition to Harris, attendees heard from Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Representative Ro Khanna of California, and Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, another potential Democratic presidential candidate, is not scheduled to speak at the conference.
Buttigieg, who spoke shortly after Harris exited the stage, was met with scattered, subdued applause in an auditorium that was roughly half‑empty. Some attendees cheered his references to supporting federal workers and minority‑owned businesses, but many people streamed out following Harris’ remarks in hopes of taking selfies with the former vice president.
Like several other potential 2028 contenders at the conference, Buttigieg laughed off questions about whether he would pursue another presidential run.
Harris, by contrast, was far more explicit.
Three separate times, she repeated, “I’m thinking about it,” when Sharpton pressed her about the prospect of a 2028 White House bid.
“I served for four years being a heartbeat away from the presidency of the United States,” Harris said. “I spent countless hours in my West Wing office footsteps away from the Oval Office. I spent countless hours in the Oval Office and the situation room. I know what the job is, and I know what it requires.”
She added that her deliberations go beyond ambition.
“I am thinking about it in the context of who and where and how can the best job be done for the American people,” Harris said. “That’s how I’m thinking about it. I’ll keep you posted.”
Updates: 4/10/26, 2:16 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
Reporting by the Associated Press contributed to this article.
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