By Salma El-Sakka
Allies of Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., have launched a draft committee named "Run Ro" to build support for a potential 2028 presidential campaign, the group's leaders told NBC News. Former Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., and progressive strategist Nomiki Konst will co-chair the effort, which can raise funds and organize while Khanna continues to weigh a formal bid.
Committee Leadership and Strategy
The launch follows midterm elections that gave Democrats control of the House and Senate, with several high-profile progressives winning seats. Konst said the early start aims to frame the presidential primary debate from a progressive populist perspective and avoid the organizational delays that have hindered past progressive candidates.
Khanna's Profile and Progressive Appeal
Khanna, a fifth-term congressman, co-chaired Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign and has gained attention for bipartisan efforts to release the Jeffrey Epstein files and oppose military conflict with Iran. He has been traveling to early primary states for months and is viewed as a leading progressive voice, though Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., remains the most prominent House progressive considering a presidential run.
Challenges and Competition
Historical precedent poses a significant hurdle: only James Garfield in 1880 won the presidency directly from the House. Khanna also faces the possibility of a crowded progressive field if Ocasio-Cortez enters the race. Bowman, who served alongside Ocasio-Cortez, praised Khanna's work ethic and vision while calling Ocasio-Cortez his "sister."
Khanna's Response and Platform
Khanna welcomed the draft effort in a statement, saying he is honored by the encouragement to run on a platform of Medicare for All, ending foreign wars, and taxing billionaires under a banner of "America's Next New Deal." He said he will decide whether to run or support another candidate after consulting with his family following the holidays. No candidate has yet formally entered the 2028 Democratic presidential primary.
