Op-ed:
Elections 2026 and 2028...Compare and Contrast
By: Diane Sori / The
Patriot Factor
This article is the authors opinion alone, and does not necessarily represent the views of blogspot.com or Google.
While the November midterms
are fast approaching, and with Republicans needing to keep both the
House and Senate so that President Trump's last two years in office
can truly bring to fruition his “Make America Great Again”
agenda...aka MAGA...I
truly believe it's never too early to also start thinking ahead to
the 2028 Presidential Election.
And while some folks say
let's get through the midterm election first, I respectfully
disagree if for no other reason than the fact that there are no
absolutes in politics. After all, it's not a given that Republicans
won't see the Democrats controlling the House and/or the Senate in
2026, nor is it a given that Republicans will hold onto the
presidency in 2028.
And in regards to the
presidency, remember
this very important fact...as per the 22nd Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution, ratified in 1951, a U.S. president can only serve two
terms in office whether said terms be consecutive or with a break
between each term. Simply, this amendment is the safeguard against the concentration of power in the executive branch.
Donald Trump cannot
legally run for the presidency again nor can he run for
vice-president no matter what anyone says. Why so...because Amendment
12 clearly states that “no
person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall
be eligible to that of Vice-President,” thus
eliminating any outside chance of Trump ever becoming a vice-presidential candidate, not that he even wants that position. Why so... because Trump could become president again...for a third
term...if something were to happen to the then sitting president where he was unable to finish out his term.
And
to those diehard Trump supporters who think that they can try to find
some legal maneuver around the Constitution to allow Trump to run for
president again, know that they are mistaken for there is only one
way that can happen, and that is to amend the Constitution in regards
to presidential term limits. And that, dear reader, is something I
can guarantee will not happen... not now and probably never.
So
where does that leave we Republicans in regards to both 2026 and
2028? First this fact...the
2028 election might well become a referendum on continuing or not
continuing with what has become known in some political circles as
the “Trump era.”
And second...with two+ years still to go before the next presidential
election we are already starting to see certain “of
name” politicians
in both parties...with fringe party individuals included as
well...trying to start lining up big money donor support; trying to
garner important name recognition while trying to project a semblance of
momentum before primary season even begins.
And
know Democrat presidential hopefuls are doing all of the above as
well.
But
before I discuss some likely Republican 2028 presidential candidates, here are five facts that while not absolutes are still worth
considering in what will surely be November's highly contested
mid-term election, as well as 2028's presidential election.
Fact One:
History has shown that when a successful now termed-out president of
either party does leave office that their party still has a chance of
holding onto power in the mid-term election that is unless...and this
is key...the economy itself is then entering into or is in an actual downturn. And this is the time when many people seriously start asking themselves
are prices at the pump now above or below what they were when the sitting president and his party took office...are the prices of groceries rising, falling or at best remaining stagnant...and is “affordability”
still a “dirty
word,”
or is it a word to now be
heralded?
Remember,
with a majority of folks making political decisions with their
pocketbooks in mind, especially if the economy seems weak at or
around election time, it is quite possible for the opposition
party...here being the Democrat party...to not only gain momentum but
actual political ground, maybe even a full House and Senate sweep in
2026, and then a presidential sweep in 2028 again based solely upon
the state of the economy.
And
in both elections herein lies the point where some might have to make
the difficult choice between pocketbook and country, and for far too
many Americans it's a choice not easily made.
Fact Two: at
around the time of the midterms, many folks also start revisiting
the “social
issues,” to see how
the candidates meld with or differ from their own personal and/or
religious views, while at the sane tine comparing said issues to
previous campaign promises made, promises kept, and promises thrown by
the way side as well. Simply, is the candidate themself and their
party ideology actually worthy of two or four more years in power
courtesy of their vote, or is it now the time for what they might consider to
be a much needed political leadership change.
And
the word “change”
itself leads directly into the 2028 presidential scenario for some semblance of “change”
will already have
come courtesy of 2026's mid-term election results, whether the
results be for better or worse depending on one's party affiliation.
But no matter the scenario other facts simply cannot be ignored.
Fact
Three: the MAGA
concept will still drive the discourse in 2028, but with an
unexpected twist in that the one deemed by most to be Trump's
presidential heir apparent...meaning Vice President JD Vance...might
not be that heir after all. Why so...because (I believe) two better
candidates have already been spoken about in Republican political
circles, as in Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis, and our current
“Secretary of State”
Marco Rubio.
And
why are they better candidates...because while Vance is a good,
decent, and honorable man who proudly served in our nation's military, many believe, as do I, that he has not shown
himself to be presidential material. Basically a newbie to the
Republican party, JD Vance only switched parties and became a Republican
when he first announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate in July
2021, and only then became Trump's VP pick on the recommendation of Donald
Jr., who saw strategic political advantages in using this young
man...who once was an avowed “Never
Trumper”...to
help sway younger voters into voting Republican.
And
while that ploy worked to a degree, Vance...a man too far to the
religious far right who does not fully embrace our founding concept
of “separation
of Church and State”...has
done nothing of political substance except being the president's “yes
man” ...the
resume of
many former VPs...to warrant his being the leader of both the United States and
the “free
world.”
Simply,
JD Vance, in my opinion, lacks political substance and actual
leadership experience, something that can only be garnered with time
and application. And besides, many times vice-presidents have turned
into one-term presidents...“Read
my lips,”
George HW, Bush comes quickly to mind... making them basically “lame
duck presidents,” which
usually hurts their party in the next election cycle go-round.
Fact Four:
Now, on the other hand, history shows that governors tend to make
both the best presidential candidates and the best presidents. Why
so...because as their state's elected head, a governor is able to
show the voters how their executive
experience, crisis management skills, and budgetary successes
resulted in tangible all around achievements for their state's
citizens. And two-term Governor Ron DeSantis' overall handling of
the now and forever to be “Free
State of Florida”...along
with his recent spearheading the big win for Republicans regarding
the redistricting issue....has seen him resonating well with voters
nationwide.
Fact Five: And
while six “Secretaries
of State”*
became president up
until the mid-19th century... no
modern day president has been “Secretary
of State” or
“National Security Advisor”
But that could change courtesy of current “Secretary of State” Marco
Rubio who ranks right up there with Henry Kissinger as one of the
hardest working, most diligent “Secretary
of State's” ever.
And with Marco Rubio's 14-year experience as a U.S. Senator...as opposed to
Vance's mere 18 months...and being both the Chair and the Vice Chair of the
“Senate
Intelligence Committee,”
and also chairing the “Senate
Small Business Committee,”
Rubio is very well versed in government operations, and was the only one
of Trump's cabinet picks to be unanimously approved by both
Republicans and Democrats alike...bipartisanship in action...something our
country desperately needs.
And
when you compare both men's resumes to that of JD Vance, for the sake
of our beloved America I hope President Trump lets “We
the People “
decide who will head the 2028 presidential ticket even if if means
having an open convention...even if it means JD Vance on his own sees the writing on the wall, and decides not to run.
Our
country deserves leaders who shine...let's give her that starting in
2026 by setting her on the right track for 2028. Case closed.
__________________________________________
Footnote
*
The six Secretaries of State who became U.S. President were: Thomas
Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Martin
Van Buren, and James Buchanan.
Copyright
© 2026 / Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / All rights reserved.
************************************************************************************************** For more political commentary please visit my RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS partner Craig Andresen's blog The National Patriot to read his latest article, Operation Let Them Talk.
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RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS...LIVE!
Tomorrow, Tuesday, May 12th from 7 to 8:30pm EST, RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS Craig Andresen and Diane Sori discuss 'Election 2026 and 2028...Compare and Contrast'; 'Operation Let Them Talk'; and important news of the day. Tune in to RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS on https://rspradio1.com Click 'LISTEN LIVE.'
