'I'm thinking about it': Harris signals 2028 presidential bid at National Action Network convention

Former Vice President Kamala Harris confirmed Friday that she is considering another run for president, telling Rev. Al Sharpton at the National Action Network's 35th anniversary convention in New York City that she is "thinking about" a 2028 bid -- her most direct public statement yet about her political future.

"Listen, I might. I might. I'm thinking about it. I am thinking about it in the context of then: who and where and how can the best job be done for the American people."

When the crowd began chanting "run again," Harris leaned into her record:

"I served for four years being a heartbeat away from the presidency of the United States. 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 was the only one of at least eight potential 2028 contenders at the convention who answered the question directly. She received the only standing ovation of the event and drew the largest audience of any speaker who appeared during the four-day convention.

The speech

Harris used the bulk of her remarks to prosecute a case against President Trump's record across three fronts.

On the Iran war, which has killed 13 U.S. service members and wounded more than 380 since Operation Epic Fury began on February 28:

"He enters into this war, a war of choice. He is causing U.S. service members -- 13 to have lost their lives, hundreds, it is estimated, of others to be injured."

On the economy:

"He lied. He told the American people on day one he was going to bring down prices and costs, and he lied."

On alliances:

"This president is the first president of the United States since World War II who does not believe in the alliances that we have with friendly nations."

Harris noted she had met with more than 150 world leaders during her time as vice president. On media engagement, she signaled a more accessible posture than her 2024 campaign: "I will talk with anyone if it means talking with the American people. What I do not believe in, however, is gatekeepers."

The 2028 field

The NAN convention functioned as the first informal cattle call for the 2028 Democratic primary. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and Senators Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly all appeared during the week.

Shapiro echoed Harris's Iran criticism, calling it "a war of choice by the president -- a war I did not support, and a war where the president never came to the American people and said, 'this is our objective.'"

Every other potential contender deflected Sharpton's 2028 questions, emphasizing their focus on the 2026 midterms instead.

Headwinds

Harris's path is not uncomplicated. Senator Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat, told reporters: "I think there's a lot of baggage there," referring to candidates from the Biden administration. A former Harris campaign official told CBS News she faces "a steep uphill climb," with many Democrats preferring "something new."

Harris's planned visits to Southern states in the coming weeks suggest she is treating the decision as more than hypothetical. Whether the party's appetite for a rematch candidate matches the NAN crowd's enthusiasm is the central question of the early 2028 cycle.