The Democrats' 2028 podcast primary is well underway.
From Govs. Gavin Newsom of California, Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan to former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, potential presidential contenders are following the lead of President Donald Trump, who frequently went on podcasts appealing to younger men during his 2024 campaign.
Liberal strategists acknowledge Trump showed that Democratic candidates need to master the podcast space, which is typically looser and more freewheeling than a press conference or a traditional media interview.
"The way that politicians communicate and need to be seen by their audience is changing," said Liz Minnella, who fundraised for Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and this year launched Connect Forward, a group to support liberal influencers. "I hate to give him credit, but he found a way to connect with people, talk to them like human beings in non-political speak."
Newsom, long derided by conservatives as a San Francisco liberal, has welcomed conservatives onto his podcast and agreed with them on issues such as trans participation in women's sports . Beshear, a lower-profile Democrat in a red state , hosted his teenagers to teach him how to use the youth slang 'skibidi."