‹ 2024  2032 ›
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| U.S. Presidential Elections 2028 | ||||
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| Nominee | Adam Kinzinger | Kirsten Gillibrand | Joshua Nass | |
| Party | Republican | Democratic | Conservative | |
| Home state | Illinois | New York | Massachusetts | |
| Running mate | Jaime Herrera Beutler | Eric Swalwell | Timothy R. Tebow | |
| Percentage | 48% | 45% | 6% | |
The 2028 Presidential election was held on November 7th, 2028, to elect the President of the United States. Republican Governor Adam Kinzinger of Illinios narrowly defeated Democratic nominee Vice President Kirsten Gillibrand, and Conservative Party nominee Governor of Massachusetts Joshua Nass. Kinzinger was viewed as benefiting from a poor American economy, lack of enthusiasm for the Nass campaign among the conservative grassroots that had shrunk since 2024, and a long, nasty primary on the Democratic side. Still, Kinzinger failed to earn a majority of the national vote which voted for Gillibrand.
Background[]
Nominations[]
Democratic Nomination[]
Democratic Candidates
- corybooker
- (62), Vice President of the United States from New York (Nominee)
- Cory Booker (59), Senator from New Jersey
- Eric Swalwell (48), Representative from California
- Sean Parker (49), Businessman from California
- Alison Lundergan Grimes (52), Senator from Kentucky
- Kasim Reed (59), former mayor of Atlanta, Georgia
- Gavin Newsom (61), former Lieutenant Governor of California
With an open seat for the first time in eight years, a number of prominent Democrats jumped into the fray, most prominently the so-called "Big Three" - Vice President Kirsten Gillibrand, a favorite of the incumbent Castro administration; former Governor Gavin Newsom of California, a favorite of the party's "Left Coast" wing; and former Georgia Governor Kasim Reed, representing the party's moderate wing. Liberal Senators Corey Booker of New Jersey and Eric Swalwell of California also entered the race, with Swalwell's entry considered surprising due to Newsom representing much of the same territory. Moderate Kentuckian Alison Lundergran Grimes entered the race too, as well as Bay Area businessman Sean Parker, running as a technocrat.
While Gillibrand entered the race as a decided favorite, her upset loss to Swalwell - who enjoyed grassroots support and youthful energy reminiscent of Barack Obama's run in 2008 - in Iowa sent her campaign into panic mode. However, Gillibrand recovered to defeat Swalwell in New Hampshire two weeks later, where he placed fourth.
Republican Nomination[]
Republican Candidates
- Adam Kinzinger (50), former Governor of Illinois (Nominee)
- Rand Paul (65), Senator from Kentucky
- Todd Young (56), Senator from Indiana
- Mia Love (53), Senator from Utah
Former Illinois Governor Adam Kinzinger (2019-2027), who had appeared on the 2024 ticket as the Vice Presidential nominee, ran as a moderate trying to reposition the party as the "reasonable center," describing himself as a "New Republican" and a capable technocrat who would do for the country what he had done for Illinois. He ran against former Presidential and Vice Presidential nominee and libertarian leader Rand Paul, Senator Todd Young from Indiana, another moderate, and conservative Senator Mia Love from Utah. Depsite Young's late push in Iowa, Kinzinger won the Iowa primaries, then proceeded to narrowly defeat Young in New Hampshire. While Paul won the South Carolina primary, Kinzinger's victory in Florida all but wrapped up the nomination in late January. After dominating victories over Paul and Love on Super Tuesday, Kinzinger was the only candidate to not officially drop out of the race.
With his victory tied up and with a significant campaign war chest, Kinzinger barnstormed the country, campaigning in many areas not considered to be traditionally Republican. Without having to protect his right flank, Kinzinger portrayed himself as the solution to economic crises in the central and Midwestern United States, stating that, "After twenty years of Democratic control of the White House, its time for a change." At the Republican National Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, Kinzinger surprised many when he chose Jaime Herrera Beutler, a nine-term Congresswoman from southern Washington state.
Conservative Nomination[]
- Joshua Nass (36), Governor of Massachusetts (Nominee)
- Timothy Tebow (41), U.S. Representative from Florida