Donald Trump swept into the White House on a wave of disenchantment with the current administration but, constitutionally, can only serve one more term as president. This leads us to speculate at the top-rated sportsbooks who will capture the White House when the 2028 US presidential elections are held.
An Early Forecast
Much can happen between now and the 2028 US presidential elections, but the oddsmakers are already hanging numbers on the next POTUS. JD Vance, the Vice President elect, has the inside track once Donald Trump steps down, as he is constitutionally obligated after serving his second term at the Oval Office.
The top 10 betting favorites in 2028 only days after the 2024 election was decided are as follows:
- JD Vance (Republican) +300
- Michelle Obama (Democrat) +500
- Gavin Newsom (Democrat) +550
- Ron DeSantis (Republican) +800
- Tulsi Gabbard (Republican) +1000
- Hillary Clinton (Democrat) +1400
- Tucker Carlson (Republican) +1400
- Nikki Haley (Republican) +2500
- Oprah Winfrey (Democrat) +2500
- Kamala Harris (Democrat) +2500
This is not a finite list, as others like Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro are on the oddsmakers list at +3300, as are Independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (+3300) and Republican entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy (+3300). Donald Trump Jr. is also prominent on the list of challengers at odds of +4000.
Is Vance a Lock as Republican Nominee?
Assuming nothing catastrophic occurs during the incoming Trump administration, the GOP will rally around the Vice President, and it will be unlikely he will face any serious foes from within his own party. However, should there be a breach of trust between him and his fellow Republicans, we could see a battle on the convention floor to replace him with a more electable candidate.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was Trump’s chief rival in the primary election, but he ran an uninspired campaign and was cast to the side relatively early in the process. However, he is looked upon favorably within his party and could use his experience in the 2024 election to run a more effective campaign should Vance become vulnerable.
Top Challengers
Former President Barak Obama’s wife Michelle has long been whispered of as a shadow candidate, but she has publicly stated she has no appetite for the job. According to her speech at the 39th annual Simmons Leadership Conference in Boston last April, Michelle Obama had this to say about running for the highest office in the land.
“The reason why I don’t want to run for president — and I can’t speak for Oprah [Winfrey] — but my sense is that, first of all, you have to want the job,” Obama said while referring to previous rumors that Oprah was going to run in 2020. She continued, “And you can’t just say, ‘Well, you’re a woman, run.’ We just can’t find the women we like and ask them to do it, because there are millions of women who are inclined and do have the passion for politics.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom is also another strong consideration for the Democrats, as is the 2016 Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton. In the event JD Vance is not embraced by his party, former Democrat-turned-Republican Tulsi Gabbard could be a viable candidate.
Gabbard previously ran for president in 2020 as a Democrat but switched sides and became an integral part of Trump’s campaign this year. “This administration has us facing multiple wars on multiple fronts and regions around the world and closer to the brink of nuclear war than we ever have been before,” Gabbard said. “This is one of the main reasons why I’m committed to doing all that I can to send President Trump back to the White House, where he can, once again, serve us as our commander in chief.”
Calculators
