Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), who drew national attention for traveling to El Salvador to meet alleged MS-13 gang member Kilmar Abrego Garcia, has revealed that he is considering a run for president in 2028. Van Hollen said he has been “kicking the tires” on a campaign and has already visited two states that traditionally play major roles in presidential primary contests. The Maryland Democrat made the admission while criticizing his own party for failing to present voters with a clear alternative to President Donald Trump.
Van Hollen discussed his presidential ambitions during the Sunday, August 23rd, broadcast of NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Host Kristen Welker repeatedly pressed the senator to explain what he meant by “kicking the tires” and whether he was seriously considering entering the 2028 Democratic primary. Van Hollen stopped short of formally declaring his candidacy, but he confirmed that he is testing the waters.
The senator began by offering his interpretation of the 2024 election and arguing that voters had rejected the country’s political status quo. He claimed Democrats still have not provided a convincing economic program for working Americans. Van Hollen framed his possible candidacy as part of a larger fight over what direction the Democratic Party should take following Trump’s return to the White House.
“Look, what happened in 2024 is that voters were so upset with the status quo that they, they voted for a convicted felon, Donald Trump,” Van Hollen said, according to Breitbart. “And my view is Democrats need to really stand for something. We need to be against the status quo.” Van Hollen connected that argument directly to his interest in the 2028 race.
“And that’s why I’ve been kicking the tires, as I look at 2028, because I don’t think the Democratic Party has answered the call about how we’re going to make sure we have an economy that really does work for everybody, especially working people,” he said. His answer prompted Welker to ask whether the phrase meant he was actively thinking about running for president.
“I’m kicking the tires, meaning I’ve been to New Hampshire. I was invited to go there,” Van Hollen replied. “I was invited to go out to Iowa last summer.” Visits to New Hampshire and Iowa have long been used by potential presidential candidates to build relationships, test campaign messages, and gauge support before formally entering a primary.
Watch Van Hollen discuss his possible presidential campaign here:
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Van Hollen said he welcomed the internal struggle taking place among Democrats as the party searches for a winning message after 2024. “I think there’s a great deal of churning within the Democratic Party, and I support that,” he told Welker. “As I said, I think we need this healthy debate because I don’t think Democrats have put forward a clear alternative to the Trump administration.”
Welker then returned to the central question and asked Van Hollen for a direct answer about his plans. “So bottom line, you’re mulling a potential run in 2028?” she asked. The senator again avoided giving an unqualified yes, instead describing himself as someone who intends to participate in the debate over the party’s future.
“Bottom line, I think Democrats need to be very clear, not just what we’re against, but what we’re for,” Van Hollen said. “And I very much want to be part of that debate. And I am kicking the tires, testing the waters.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video.