{"id":2630242,"date":"2026-07-15T16:40:01","date_gmt":"2026-07-15T20:40:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/shadow-democratic-2028-primary-heats-up-after-fec-filings\/"},"modified":"2026-07-15T16:42:04","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T20:42:04","slug":"shadow-democratic-2028-primary-heats-up-after-fec-filings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/shadow-democratic-2028-primary-heats-up-after-fec-filings\/","title":{"rendered":"Shadow Democratic 2028 primary heats up after FEC filings"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fshadow-democratic-2028-primary-heats-up-after-fec-filings%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2630242&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Early fundraising data from the second quarter indicates important early activity among Democratic presidential contenders for the 2028 election, as reported by the federal Election Commission. Several Democrats have showcased their fundraising strength, suggesting they are serious candidates with potential White House ambitions. Notable fundraisers include Gov. Josh Shapiro, who raised $12 million in the quarter and has $50 million in reserves; Sen.jon Ossoff, with $20 million raised and $42 million cash on hand; Sen. Mark Kelly, raising $25 million and supporting Democratic efforts ahead of midterms; and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who raised $1.5 million in this period and over $138,000 individual donors across all accounts. Other potential candidates like Rep.Ro Khanna also need to demonstrate strong fundraising to indicate momentum.<\/p>\n<p>Candidates&#8217; ability to raise and strategize expenditures will be crucial, especially as some, like Shapiro, aim to support other Democrats and build political capital. The Democratic Party is also experiencing internal shifts,including a surge of socialist-aligned contenders and debates over preferred candidate profiles. Kamala Harris, after her 2024 defeat, is positioning herself for a possible 2028 bid, but questions remain about her grassroots support and overall viability. despite immense fundraising achievements, such as Harris\u2019s over $1 billion in 2024, candidates must also contend with internal party dynamics, donor vs. voter preferences, and potential competition from other high-profile Democrats.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Early fundraising figures from the second-quarter <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/federal-election-commission\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4072\">Federal Election Commission<\/a> reports offered a glimpse into the early machinations of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2028-elections\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11676\">2028<\/a> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democratic-party\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"288\">Democratic<\/a> primary.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some Democrats quickly boasted their fundraising prowess before the Wednesday deadline at 11:59 p.m. in a sign that they are likely serious contenders who could seek the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/news\/white-house\/\" type=\"category\" id=\"125\">White House<\/a>.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/4648743\/kamala-harris-democrats-2028-president-vibe\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Kamala Harris is running against her party\u2019s vibe<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/4647702\/pete-buttigieg-keeps-2028-presidential-bid-on-table\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Pete Buttigieg keeps 2028 White House bid on the table<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/4646344\/gavin-newsom-nevada-trip-democrats-focus-winning-elections\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Newsom says Democrats must stop trying to \u2018win an argument\u2019 and start winning elections<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mark-kelly\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"3448\">Mark Kelly<\/a> (D-AZ) raised $25 million across his federal accounts and touted sending $10 million to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/07\/15\/us\/politics\/mark-kelly-arizona-democrat-fundraising.html\">boost Democrats<\/a> ahead of this year\u2019s midterm elections, including $2 million to the Democratic National Committee and $3.5 million to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Fellow Arizona Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ruben-gallego\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"10230\">Ruben Gallego<\/a> (D) raised $472,544.64 but had more than $2.08 million cash on hand.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/josh-shapiro\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"5122\">Josh Shapiro<\/a> (D-PA) raised $12 million in the second quarter and $50 million in the bank from January 2025 to June 2026.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jon-ossoff\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"3194\">Jon Ossoff<\/a> (D-GA) raised $20 million in his <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >closely watched reelection battle<\/a> against Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) and ended the quarter with a staggering $42 million cash on hand. Collins raised a paltry $2.1 million in contrast to Ossoff.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey\u2019re telegraphing their presidential ambitions for sure,\u201d said Michael Ceraso, a Democratic strategist who previously worked on Pete Buttigieg\u2019s presidential campaign. \u201cThey want to flex how much money they can raise \u2026 because they know the media is going to look at two things: it\u2019s polling and fundraising.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/alexandria-ocasio-cortez\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"282\">Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez<\/a> (D-NY) raised $1.5 million in this period and has $15 million cash on hand. Her campaign manager also announced that the New York lawmaker <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/oliverhidwoh\/status\/2077443036116631972?s=46&#038;t=vgOs3L9Jdw1koLNS5Z1G3g\">raised $4.87 million<\/a> across all her accounts from over 138,000 individual donors. Ocasio-Cortez has been one of the most prolific fundraisers. By the second quarter of 2025, she had raised $15.4 million more than any other House member.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other potential 2028 candidates, such as Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ro-khanna\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"5039\">Ro Khanna<\/a> (D-CA), will also need to show they can rake in similar amounts of money to indicate they have momentum on their side.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Potential progressive White House contenders such as Ocasio-Cortez and Khanna face a particular challenge. \u201cThey need to be able to show like heightened individual contributions to show that they can keep up with this level of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/fundraising\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1554\">fundraising<\/a>,\u201d said Achyuth Sarath, a former 2024 Democratic delegate.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ocasio-Cortez\u2019s aide, Oliver Hidalgo-Wohlleben, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/OliverHidWoh\/status\/2077444650231566605\">bragged online<\/a> that \u201cThis cycle alone, over 500,000 people from all 50 states have chipped in to support the campaign.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Khanna has faced tough questioning over his endorsement of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/graham-platner\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"22643\">Graham Platner<\/a>, the former Democratic Senate candidate in Maine, after he exited the race due to allegations of sexual assault against an ex-girlfriend. But that came after the second quarter closed in June, so Khanna\u2019s fundraising amount won\u2019t reflect any fallout from the Platner scandal. Gallego has also been plagued by allegations of campaign finance violations and potential sexual misconduct through his friendship with former Democratic California Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/eric-swalwell\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2345\">Eric Swalwell<\/a>, also accused of sexual misconduct, but that erupted before the second quarter closed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yet with the Democrats already stacking their coffers, questions are emerging about how potential presidential candidates will spend their money.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI imagine he can use quite a bit of that [$50 million] to spread around and to support Democratic candidates in close races this year,\u201d said Democratic strategist Brad Bannon about Shapiro. \u201cAnd you know that he can use the money he has to stack up IOUs for political support in \u201928.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kelly told the <em>New York Times<\/em> that he wants to help Democrats win the House and the Senate, \u201cBut it\u2019s not going to be easy and it takes resources, and I want to make sure that I do everything I can to help get people across the finish line.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democrats also pointed out that while money is one sign of momentum, the party is also facing a revolt of successful <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/socialism\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"510\">socialists<\/a> who have toppled incumbent lawmakers in primary contests. Led by New York Mayor <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/zohran-mamdani\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11802\">Zohran Mamdani<\/a>, socialists have proven that the Democratic base is more willing to side with exciting candidates over the establishment.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe know exactly what donors want,\u201d said Cersaso. \u201cWill that be compatible with primary voters? My answer is no. I think voters and donors are very far apart in reality, and this is an age-old argument.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Any 2028 Democrat also has to weigh the impact of former Vice President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kamala-harris\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"748\">Kamala Harris <\/a>possibly vying for the White House after her defeat in 2024 to President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4\">Donald Trump<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019re having all these conversations right now about the future of the party and whether, you know, we lean too heavily into like the white male authentic aesthetic of Graham Platner,\u201d said Kaivan Shroff, a political communications expert who worked on Hillary Clinton\u2019s 2016 presidential campaign.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That doesn\u2019t mean Harris is guaranteed to be nominated if she were to run.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t think a single donor thinks that there\u2019s going to be an anointing of Kamala Harris for this,\u201d said Shroff, who was a delegate for Harris in 2024. \u201cIf she is going to come back in, she\u2019s going to need to fight for it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/4647702\/pete-buttigieg-keeps-2028-presidential-bid-on-table\/\">PETE BUTTIGIEG KEEPS 2028 WHITE HOUSE BID ON THE TABLE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Harris, sensing the party momentum shift, reportedly called Mamdani last month and met with pro-Palestinian activists ahead of the 2028 race. And after raising more than $1 billion during the 2024 campaign, Sarath said he does not doubt that Harris will be able to raise huge amounts again.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBut I don\u2019t know if she has the sort of grassroots support that you need to win the general,\u201d he added. \u201cI think we have to see, but right now I\u2019m just not sure that she has it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>2028 Dems&#8217; early Q2 fundraising hints at White House bids<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2658,"featured_media":2630243,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2028dems.png?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[63972,32807,35288],"class_list":["post-2630242","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-2028-elections","tag-democratic-primary","tag-political-campaigns"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2028dems.png?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2630242","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2658"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2630242"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2630242\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2630246,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2630242\/revisions\/2630246"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2630243"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2630242"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2630242"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2630242"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}