The 2028 Podcast Primary Is Underway as Democrats Try to Reshape Their Image

The Democrats' 2028 podcast primary is well underway.

From Govs. Gavin Newsom of California, Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan to former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, potential presidential contenders are following the lead of President Donald Trump, who frequently went on podcasts appealing to younger men during his 2024 campaign.

Liberal strategists acknowledge Trump showed that Democratic candidates need to master the podcast space, which is typically looser and more freewheeling than a press conference or a traditional media interview.

"The way that politicians communicate and need to be seen by their audience is changing," said Liz Minnella, who fundraised for Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and this year launched Connect Forward, a group to support liberal influencers. "I hate to give him credit, but he found a way to connect with people, talk to them like human beings in non-political speak."

Newsom, long derided by conservatives as a San Francisco liberal, has welcomed conservatives onto his podcast and agreed with them on issues such as trans participation in women's sports. Beshear, a lower-profile Democrat in a red state, hosted his teenagers to teach him how to use the youth slang "skibidi."

The likely 2028 contenders have produced many hours of content already. Here's a look at key moments and what we've learned about the field so far.

Andy Beshear's 'be you, boo'

Launching "The Andy Beshear Podcast" earlier this year, the Kentucky governor now has hosted a donor, a former ambassador, businessmen he calls friends and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who ran for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.

He even brought on his two children to explain slang words high schoolers are using, asking them to explain to him how to use terms like "skibidi" to say something looks good, or "doing it for the plot" to say you'll be taking a risk on something despite a potentially bad outcome.

From his first episode, the 47-year-old politician outlines some rules and says the first is "be authentic, you be you, boo."

The governor did not respond to a request for comment on his strategy, but has mostly taken a position of dissecting and broadcasting opposition to Trump's policies, such as potential cuts to Medicaid and the use of the Signal messaging app by the president's national security team to discuss sensitive military operations.

In one of Beshear's most recent episodes earlier this month, his producer asks the governor a frequent listener's question: Will you run for president?

"If it were three years ago, this was something that we would have never thought about," Beshear said, sitting beside his wife, Britainy. "But I'm committed to not leaving a broken country to my kids or anyone else's. Now, what that looks like going forward, I don't know. My job right now is to try to lift up as many leaders as possible all across the country that are hopefully focused on the right things with the right message to re-earn the faith of the American people."

Gretchen Whitmer talks about the hug

Whitmer recently appeared on "Pod Save America" for a shorter interview than other contenders have done on podcasts. Whitmer had received some backlash for sharing a hug with the president last month as he arrived in her home state, less than a month after she shielded her face from cameras during an Oval Office appearance alongside Trump.

Whitmer and Trump announced a new fighter jet mission at a National Guard base outside Detroit that is seen as a major economic driver for the area.

"This is a BFD," she said on the podcast, referencing if not outright saying a profane phrase that starts with "big" and ends with "deal."

"It doesn't mean I've abandoned any of my values. It doesn't mean that I'm not going to stand my ground and fight where we have to, but this is one of those moments where as a public servant you're reminded your job is to put service above self and that's what it was all about."

Gavin Newsom gives mic to MAGA figures

In February, California's governor launched "This is Gavin Newsom" as what he called a mechanism for talking "directly with people I disagree with, people I look up to, and you – the listeners."

Thus far, he's had a wide array of guests, including former Trump strategist Steve Bannon and conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, as well as Klobuchar and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris' 2024 running mate.

The conversations have mostly been chummy. Newsom – who has in recent weeks broken with California's legislature and faced liberal criticism for his positioning on trans issues, immigration and homelessness – has fielded backlash for giving a platform to some of his party's biggest critics.

Newsom has also drawn criticism for opposing the participation of trans athletes in women's sports.

"I think it's an issue of fairness, I completely agree with you on that," Newsom told Kirk in his debut episode. "It is an issue of fairness – it's deeply unfair."

The diverse guest list could be part of Newsom's attempt to self-brand as a centrist ahead of a possible 2028 run, hearing out conservative critics while trying to assume his party's mantle.

In March, the governor told HBO's Bill Maher that Democrats had developed a "toxic" brand and criticized some in the party who are unwilling to "have a conversation" with their opponents.

Buttigieg says Democrats need to reach 'people who don't think like us'

Buttigieg's appearance on Andrew Schulz's "Flagrant" podcast came months after the comedian sat down with Trump.

During his three-hour sit-down with Schulz, Buttigieg sported a beard as he talked candidly about his personal life, describing his experiences serving in the military before he came out publicly as gay and raising his biracial children, even laughing along as Schulz and other hosts cracked jokes related to homosexuality or asked pointed questions about his personal life.

But mostly, Buttigieg – who spoke in Iowa earlier this month – discussed his time in politics and accused Trump of failing to deliver on economic promises from the 2024 campaign.

"We have to be encountering people who don't think like us and don't view the world the way we do, both in order to actually, legitimately, become smarter and better and make better choices and have better positions, and just in order to persuade," Buttigieg said.

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Associated Press Polling Editor Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux in Washington contributed to this report.