Ro Khanna Allies Launch Group Urging a 2028 Presidential Run

Khanna, a California Democrat, told MS NOW on Thursday that he was “honored” by calls for a campaign centered on Medicare for All, ending foreign wars and taxing billionaires. He said he was “thinking about it” and would decide with his family after the holidays whether to run or support someone else. Khanna is not involved with the new group.

Konst said Run Ro aims to shape the primary debate early around progressive populism. Bowman, who lost his New York House seat in 2024 after a multimillion-dollar campaign by the pro-Israel lobby, praised Khanna’s work ethic and vision. Khanna endorsed more than 70 candidates during the midterms and campaigned in person with many, including Abdul El-Sayed, Sen.-elect Peggy Flanagan and Reps.-elect Chris Rabb, Adam Hamawy and Claire Valdez.

Khanna has become a prominent critic of President Donald Trump. He worked with Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, on a bipartisan effort to press the Justice Department to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein, and has pushed to halt Trump’s war in Iran and cut off military support to Israel. On the Breaking Points podcast Thursday, Khanna said presidential candidates should be clear about not being a “uni-party on war.”

A campaign could put Khanna in a contested Democratic primary, potentially against fellow progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who has hinted at a run. The two share support for Medicare for All, a Green New Deal and higher taxes on billionaires, but differ on other issues: Khanna calls himself a proponent of “progressive capitalism,” while Ocasio-Cortez identifies as a democratic socialist. Khanna has also clashed with Gov. Gavin Newsom over a proposed 5% wealth tax and advocated pausing artificial intelligence development, a broader step than the oversight proposed by Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. Khanna has described the 2028 contest as an “open clash of ideas” and said, “We need America’s Next New Deal.”