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Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said he is “kicking the tires” on a possible 2028 presidential bid, comments that come as he has increasingly stepped into the political spotlight during President Trump’s second term.
In an interview on NOTUS’s “On NOTUS” podcast, Van Hollen was pressed about a recent visit to New Hampshire.
“I went to New Hampshire because I was invited, but I would say, kind of kicking the tires a little bit,” Van Hollen said.
The Maryland senator said, “It’s pretty clear that operating from within the confines of the halls of Congress is not a successful recipe for actually getting change, because, too often, we are a bubble.”
Van Hollen has made headlines in recent years with his criticism of Israeli government actions and his support for Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man who was deported to the Terrorism Confinement Center in El Salvador.
If Van Hollen jumps into the 2028 presidential race, he could find himself in a crowded Democratic primary field that includes California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Democrats are still reeling from losing the 2024 presidential election, following a chaotic period during which former President Biden dropped his bid after a rough debate performance and Harris stepped in for him on the Democratic ticket. However, the party has seen some electoral success in recent elections in states like Virginia and New Jersey.
Republicans, meanwhile, are facing some choppy waters ahead of the midterms with Trump’s approval rating sagging, Americans expressing concerns about the economy in recent polling, and the prices of oil and gas increasing over the course of the Iran war.
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