Allies Launch 'Run Ro' 2028 Draft for Khanna as 2028 Jockeying Begins

Barely 36 hours after polls closed on Tuesday's midterm elections, progressive organizers launched a formal 2028 presidential draft movement for Silicon Valley Rep. Ro Khanna as governors and senators in both parties began maneuvering for the next White House cycle.

Progressive Allies Launch "Run Ro" 2028 Draft Committee for Rep. Ro Khanna

Former New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman and Democratic strategist Nomiki Konst announced the formation of "Run Ro," an independent draft committee urging fifth-term California Rep. Ro Khanna to seek the presidency in 2028. Khanna said he was humbled by the grassroots effort and plans to discuss a potential national campaign with his family after the holidays, while acknowledging the historical hurdle that James Garfield in 1880 remains the only sitting U.S. House member ever elected directly to the presidency.

Both Parties Jockey for 2028 as Trump Flexes Veto Power

Across Washington and state capitals, 2028 presidential positioning accelerated immediately after the midterm wave:

• Democratic Contenders: Former Vice President Kamala Harris told The Associated Press she intends to help shape the party's direction regardless of whether she runs again, while former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel counseled that "right now is the governing time." Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro drew immediate 2028 questions from CBS anchor Gayle King after winning re-election, flipping 4 congressional seats, and delivering a Democratic state legislative majority. Re-elected governors Wes Moore of Maryland and JB Pritzker of Illinois, outgoing California Gov. Gavin Newsom (who spearheaded Proposition 50), New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker (who enters the cycle with more than $20 million in his federal account), Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff, and Michigan Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed also elevated their national profiles. With 85-year-old Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders ruling out another run, progressives pointed to El-Sayed and 37-year-old Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as standard-bearers.
• Republican Realignment and White House Response: Outgoing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis pointed to Florida's GOP wins as a model while Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie weighed 2028 bids. In a phone interview with CBS News, President Donald Trump congratulated Democrats on winning projected House and Senate majorities for January and pledged to work with them while posting an image of a red "veto" hat on Truth Social—noting Congress needs a two-thirds majority in both chambers to override a presidential veto. Trump also criticized longtime Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott as a "RINO" after Abbott lost the Texas governorship to Democrat Gina Hinojosa.

Colorado Income Tax Overhaul Falls Short of 55% Threshold as Danville Tallies Propositions

In state fiscal ballot results with 100% of precincts reporting, Colorado's Amendment 87 held a narrow 50.4% (1,099,295 votes) to 49.6% (1,081,719 votes) majority, falling short of the 55% supermajority required for constitutional amendments. Seeking the first overhaul of Colorado's income tax structure in more than 40 years, Amendment 87 proposed replacing the state's 4.4% flat tax under the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR) with graduated rates from 3.7% to 8.4%—including 7.4% on income between $500,001 and $750,000, 7.9% between $750,001 and $1 million, and 8.4% (a 4% increase) above $1 million.

Competing Proposition 136, which sought to cap the state income tax statutorily at 4.4%, trailed with 52.51% against (1,128,269 votes) to 47.49% in favor (1,102,369 votes). Colorado voters approved Proposition NN with 55.37% (1,207,825 votes) to boost K-12 education funding by 2% annually for 10 years, led narrowly on Amendment 85 (50.96% or 1,108,286 votes to 49.04% or 1,066,610 votes for an eighth-grade ballot reading level) and Proposition 137 (50.36% to 49.64% for conservation sales tax retention), and rejected Amendment 82 (53.69% or 1,164,647 votes against natural gas constitutional rights), Amendment 83 (54.99% or 1,193,885 votes against), Amendment 84 (63.2% or 1,385,094 votes against requiring 4 Social Security digits on mail ballots), and Amendment 86 (53.25% or 1,038,370 votes against redistricting rules requiring 3 public meetings and 55% approval).

Meanwhile, in Contra Costa County, Danville voters weighed in on all 14 California ballot propositions, led by the Associated Press calling Proposition 37 at 9:20 p.m.