On the Record: Tracking the 2028 Presidential Primary
From: Alidade
Re: 2028 Democratic Presidential Primary Tracker
2028 Democratic Presidential Primary Tracker
Feb 9 - Feb 16, 20263 organizations139 posts tracked
A weekly analysis of social media posts from the personal accounts of possible 2028 Democratic presidential candidates generated by Alidade AI. Interested in a custom version of this newsletter focused on your industry or priorities? Reach out to team@alidade-ai.com.
Key Takeaways
- 1Democratic leaders coalesced around a unified economic corruption narrative tying tariffs, elite enrichment, and constitutional violations into a single anti-Trump message framework.
- 2Multiple potential 2028 candidates—Kelly, Murphy, Pritzker, Whitmer, Booker—built direct-to-voter infrastructure via Substacks, book tours, and town halls, signaling early campaign positioning.
- 3Democratic governors aggressively filled the opposition vacuum by advancing state-level policy wins on healthcare, wages, and global health, contrasting local results with federal dysfunction.
Detailed Coverage
1
Failed DOJ Indictment Attempt Unites Democratic Field on Free Speech
Multiple OrganizationsPolicy
Why It Matters
2
Murphy and Booker Lead Democratic Push to Defund ICE Over Constitutional Violations
Chris Murphy & Cory BookerPolicy
Why It Matters
3
Khanna's "Epstein Class" Campaign Forces Resignation, Drives Populist Messaging
Ro Khanna & Alexandria Ocasio-CortezPolicy, Marketing & Outreach
Why It Matters
4
Democratic Governors Counter Washington Chaos With State Policy Agendas
Multiple OrganizationsPolicy
Why It Matters
5
Democratic Leaders Unite on Tariff Costs and Trump Corruption Messaging
Multiple OrganizationsPolicy, Marketing & Outreach
Why It Matters
6
Potential 2028 Candidates Build Direct Voter Communication Channels
Multiple OrganizationsMarketing & Outreach
Why It Matters
Week at a Glance
| Organization | Activity | Key Topics | This Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pete Buttigieg | medium | Free speech defenseAnti-corruption messagingInfrastructure policy | Called the failed DOJ indictment an assault on basic freedoms and framed infrastructure blocking as corruption benefiting billionaire donors. |
| Andy Beshear | low | Tariff oppositionState economic growth | Positioned Kentucky's economic success against federal tariff policies he argued "aren't putting America first." |
| Gavin Newsom | low | State leadershipFederal opposition | Framed California as a durable counterweight to the Trump administration with pointed messaging about temporary presidential power. |
| Gretchen Whitmer | medium | Rx Kids expansionDirect voter outreachState policy | Promoted the Rx Kids program expansion and leveraged her Substack for direct-to-subscriber video conversations. |
| JB Pritzker | high | WHO partnershipAnti-Trump positioningSubstack launch | Launched a Substack with combative messaging and announced Illinois would join WHO's GOARN network. |
| Kamala Harris | low | Free speech defenseExecutive overreach | Called the DOJ indictment attempt an "outrageous abuse of power" and warned Republican lawmakers they could be next. |
| Rahm Emanuel | low | Democratic strategy | Maintained a minimal public presence with limited social media activity this period. |
| Wes Moore | medium | Voter engagementTown hall outreach | Announced a CBS town hall taping in Cambridge to build direct voter engagement outside Washington. |
| Mark Kelly | high | DOJ indictment defenseTariff criticismAnti-corruption | Positioned himself as the primary target of the DOJ indictment attempt while tying Trump family wealth gains to working-family hardship. |
| Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez | low | Epstein accountabilityDOJ transparency | Questioned why DOJ redacted Les Wexner's name from Epstein files contrary to congressional orders. |
| Ro Khanna | high | Epstein accountabilityBipartisan transparencyPopulist messaging | Forced a resignation through his Epstein files push and coined the "Epstein class" framing that gained media traction. |
| Chris Murphy | high | ICE defundingFree speech defenseDHS shutdown | Led the push to defund ICE over constitutional violations and spent over $1 million funding nationwide mobilization. |
| Josh Shapiro | high | Minimum wageTariff costsHousing affordability | Pushed to raise Pennsylvania's minimum wage and deployed a "$1,000 per family" tariff cost figure. |
| Cory Booker | high | ICE defundingBook tourDirect outreach | Vowed to block all DHS funding over constitutional violations and launched a nine-city book tour. |
Tracking 3 organizations • Generated by Alidade AIFeb 16, 2026 at 1:04 PM
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