Former Vice President Kamala Harris gave her clearest indication yet of a potential 2028 presidential run during a speech at the National Action Network convention in New York on April 10. Responding to Rev. Al Sharpton, she said, “Listen, I might, I might. I’m thinking about it,” and promised to keep him posted. The audience of Black voters and power brokers responded with chants of “Run again!” and a standing ovation.
Harris spoke for about 40 minutes in a fireside chat with Sharpton at the Midtown event, the first major gathering for potential 2028 Democratic contenders. She was the sixth such figure to appear, following Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, and Rep. Ro Khanna. The crowd showed the most enthusiasm for Harris, filling the ballroom to capacity over an hour early and prompting security measures akin to those for former presidents. Beyoncé’s “Freedom,” a staple of her 2024 campaign, played as attendees entered, accompanied by a sizzle reel of her with Sharpton on stage screens—features not seen for others. Harris drew on her experience, stating, “I spent countless hours in my West Wing office, footsteps away from the Oval Office... I know what the job is and what it requires.” She criticized President Donald Trump on foreign policy, Iran, and voting rights, including his SAVE America Act, which she likened to a poll tax and urged voters to check their registration amid claims of cleaned rolls. Nodding to 2024 shifts among Black and Latino men toward Republicans, she advocated “transactional voters,” saying, “Get yours. Vote and say, ‘I’m voting because I expect something out of this.’” People close to Harris say she remains undecided but is planning high-profile appearances, including trips to South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Arkansas. She leads early polls for the Democratic nomination, bolstered by name recognition from prior campaigns and her vice presidency.
