Rahm Emanuel, potential 2028 candidate, says democratic socialists aren’t part of Democratic Party

By Susan Ferrechio - The Washington Times - Sunday, August 30, 2026

Rahm Emanuel, the former Obama administration chief of staff now weighing a presidential bid, said Sunday that the Democratic Socialists of America are not part of the Democratic Party and that their proposals will not help Democrats win the White House in 2028.

“They believe in defunding the police, letting prisoners out of prisons, opening the borders, eliminating the Pentagon,” he told “Fox News Sunday.” “If you’re so confident people want that, I’ll see you in November. Put it on the ballot.”

Mr. Emanuel, a former mayor of Chicago and ex-congressman from Illinois, said he’s weighing a 2028 presidential campaign in 2028 and his platform would center on restoring affordability and prosperity for the working class.

He said the Democratic Socialists of America should run as a separate party, pointing out the group held its own political convention in Chicago earlier in August.

“The Democratic Party is not open to be taken over,” Mr. Emanuel said.

Mr. Emanuel, 66, served as President Barack Obama’s chief of staff in 2009 and 2010. In 2011, he was elected to the first of two terms as mayor of Chicago. He served as U.S. ambassador to Japan during the Biden administration.

Positioning himself as a centrist, Mr. Emanuel said Democrats can’t win the White House without support from swing states and independent voters.

“There is no way you’re going to get there turning a blue district to midnight blue,” he said. “You got to do it by flipping red districts to blue, winning red states and turning them blue. That is how it happens.”

Mr. Emanuel said that if he decides to run, he would push through big policy changes, including universal health care coverage and education reform, and would take on the failures in government and the private sector.

“I’m not a peacetime consular. I’m a wartime general,” he said. “I win elections and make policies happen.”

Mr. Emanuel is among a long list of potential Democratic candidates. Polls show the list is led by former Vice President Kamala Harris, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who recently renewed her membership with the Democratic Socialists of America.